


Doctor Who + Portal Vol. 2

by EaglestarEC



Series: Doctor Who + Portal [2]
Category: Doctor Who, Portal (Video Game)
Genre: Addiction, BDSM, Brainwashing, Corruption, Drinking, Drug Use, Experimentation, Grief/Mourning, Hallucinations, Handcuffs, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy References, Humiliation, Insanity, M/M, Mental Link, Nightmares, Parallel Universes, Self-Harm, Sexual Content, Video & Computer Games
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-08
Updated: 2017-02-03
Packaged: 2018-08-29 22:56:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 24
Words: 190,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8508787
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EaglestarEC/pseuds/EaglestarEC
Summary: Part 2 of the Doctor's troubles, in which he now needs to find a way to cope, alone; stuck under GLaDOS' rule. ...or not.





	1. Grief

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~when the Doctor comes to, he’s still on the grated floor of the console room, and everything looks the same except for the fact that the Master is no longer there. GLaDOS looks in on him from outside the TARDIS, watching intently~

 

DOCTOR:

~gets up, his mind coming into focus, looking furious when he turns to see GLaDOS’ mocking presence, too enraged to even fathom proper words for it~ you’d better hope that man’s not dead—you’d better _hope_ you didn’t kill him because you know, _you know,_ what I’ll do. You’ve _seen_ the things I’ve done. ~goes over to the TARDIS doors to close them~

 

GLaDOS:

~looks the Doctor up and down somewhat triumphantly, letting him close the doors~ *you don’t scare me, Doctor. So far, all of your threats have been empty ones.*

 

DOCTOR:

I had something to lose. I had someone to live for who just might not have to leave; and if he ever wanted to leave he wouldn’t leave a soldier. ~sets coordinates to leave to London’s UNIT~ and you have no clue how little effort it’ll take me to do whatever the hell I want now. ~pulls the lever in finality~

 

TARDIS:

~the lever sparks and the TARDIS whines in a broken sort of way as the lights dim almost to the point of going out, but not quite. The console glows a weak red color, charged with negative energy like the way she was when GLaDOS first gave the TARDIS back to the Doctor~

 

GLaDOS:

*…you were saying?*

 

DOCTOR:

~sighs, looking down at the console~ give her back… please? ~remains rigidly motionless~ I won’t call UNIT—or anyone else—in to raid and/or bomb the place.

 

GLaDOS:

*Be warned; I’ll make sure you won’t.*

 

TARDIS:

~gradually brightens up, expressing concern to the Doctor and attempting to reach out to him and offer comfort~

 

DOCTOR:

~nods, re-setting the coordinates for Torchwood before trying to take off again, letting the TARDIS’ telepathic connection reestablish itself, thankful for her comfort, muttering~ Jack’ll be fine with us stopping by…

 

TARDIS:

~takes off without much trouble, the flight quiet and stable because of the changed settings. She seems somber, the fact that it’s just her and the Doctor again feeling a little unreal, yet familiar~

 

DOCTOR:

~runs about, hitting controls without his usual enthusiasm, nodding as if in agreement to the TARDIS’ mood~ we’ll be okay, there are other people in the universe and there’s still a chance the Master returns from the dead again. ~sounds a little too hopeful for his own good~

 

TARDIS:

~lands, hesitantly agreeing with the Doctor; becoming a little worried at how calm the Doctor seems, considering the fact that he’s just lost the only other Timelord in existence~

 

DOCTOR:

~runs his hand along the rim of the console as he passes it to walk up to the door, opening it and hoping it’s Torchwood and not Aperture~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~they’ve arrived in Torchwood, apparently during the day because the rest of the crew are there along with Jack~

 

JACK:

~making his way over to the TARDIS with a friendly smile~ Hey, Doctor! Nice of you to drop in.

 

DOCTOR:

Hey… ~for once he finds himself unable to fake a smile as he steps out and closes the door~ I only wish I dropped by just to say hello. ~waves to Gwen, Owen, and Toshiko~

 

JACK:

What’s up? ~adopts a look of concern as he casually puts his hands in his pockets, noticing the Master’s absence but making no comment about it~

 

DOCTOR:

Jack, ~lowers his voice, glancing quickly at the team~ the Master died. ~tries to remain as composed as possible, letting just a fraction of his distress show~

 

JACK:

~his eyes widen slightly, first out of surprise then concern, but mostly for the Doctor~ what…? ~looks at the ground for a moment before meeting the Doctor’s slightly distressed gaze, his voice quieted~ how?

 

DOCTOR:

GLaDOS just… killed him. He literally just fell limp. ~it becomes increasingly difficult to keep his voice steady as he continues~ what happened was I crashed back into Rose’s universe—that got mildly awkward—but GLaDOS had actually crashed us purposefully with an automated message. We had six hours in the universe max because of a separate issue and then we had to come back knowing the Master was going to die… ~his voice wavers slightly at the end~

 

JACK:

~puts a hand on the Doctor’s shoulder comfortingly, feeling bad about how emotionally unaffected he is about the Master’s death when the Doctor obviously cared for him a lot, not knowing what to say for a few moments~ …is there anything I can do?

 

DOCTOR:

~sighs, taking a second to think through the offer~ not really, I just-… it was either sit alone in the TARDIS, stroll through GLaDOS’ death traps, or this. I can’t really trust myself to go on a solo protect-the-Earth mission with the drums in my head. So yes, actually, if you guys are going against anything interesting I could use the distraction.

 

JACK:

Actually, ~glances back at the rest of his team, letting his hand drop back to his side~ we’re tracking an alien distress signal that came in yesterday. Trying to figure out what it is before we actually go anywhere to investigate.

 

DOCTOR:

Am I an unfair advantage then? ~speaks in a joking tone though unable to give a smile~ because I’m pretty sure even without a sonic I can decode a distress signal, given a minute.

 

JACK:

I wouldn’t say _unfair,_ but it’d be great if you could help. ~gives a small smile, turning on his heel and walking over to Toshiko, who sits in front of a few monitors displaying lines of symbols and the work she’s doing to try to decipher them~

 

DOCTOR:

~follows, putting on his black thick-rimmed glasses as he looks at the symbols, his head immediately trying to pinpoint the species, language, and meaning~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the symbols seem to warp in the Doctor’s peripheral vision like an optical illusion, looking almost like incoherent Gallifreyan for a fleeting moment. The symbols themselves reflect a sort of numerical code in an unidentifiable alien language that can be simplified to binary code~

 

DOCTOR:

Well that certainly is interesting! ~puts away the essentially useless glasses, looking over the code again in interest before turning to Jack with a smile and a bit of his usual excitement~ no one I’m familiar with, and that’s code—like JavaScript. More like binary, actually. ~turns to Toshiko apologetically~ I’m the Doctor, by the way.

 

TOSHIKO:

Nice to meet you. ~gives the Doctor a quick glance before checking the Doctor’s analysis of the code, nodding when she finds corroborating results~

 

JACK:

~grins at the Doctor~ I forgot just how good you are at these things. ~looks at the code~ any way to turn it into coordinates, or information we could do something with?

 

DOCTOR:

Likewise. ~thinks for a second before answering~ well, my first instinct when sent code is to transcribe and see if it does anything interesting when plugged into a computer. Though ordinarily I’d have the sonic to trace the signal, GLaDOS took it. ~looks a little agitated but shakes it off~

 

TOSHIKO:

~sets up a program to trace the signal, talking as she types~ we can do without one; just might take a little bit longer. ~swivels in the chair to face the Doctor after she sets the program going~ and who’s GLaDOS?

 

DOCTOR:

To you, no one of importance, sorry. ~seems a little uncomfortable on the topic, not liking his want to keep them unaware of the situation~

 

OWEN:

So, aren’t you gonna introduce us? ~speaks from a separate desk~

 

TOSHIKO:

~raises an eyebrow in suspicion at the Doctor before turning back around to work on the computer~

 

JACK:

~looks around at everyone else, like he had forgotten them for a moment~ yeah, sorry. Owen, Gwen, Ianto—this is the Doctor. ~gestures to him~

 

DOCTOR:

~gives a slight wave to the group~ nice to meet the new-and-improved Torchwood.

 

OWEN GWEN & IANTO:

~wave back, not used to visitors and especially not visitors  who are close to Jack~

 

JACK:

~smiles at the group for a moment before turning to the Doctor, casually wandering over to a nearby desk laden with alien tech~ we’ve actually had more on our hands than we’re used to; most of the time we’re working on two cases at once.

 

DOCTOR:

Sorry about that; I’ve been a bit tied up—some times more literally than others. ~looks at the mess of technology in front of them, inwardly grateful for the distraction~

 

OWEN GWEN & IANTO:

~the group gets back to work quickly after they’re no longer being addressed~

 

JACK:

~chuckles, unable to hold back a flirtatious smirk~ It’s fine, we’ve been doing alright. Glad that you’re back to help again, though. ~rifles through the gear~

 

DOCTOR:

~looks over the gear for anything he knows as dangerous or anything of interest in general, smiling a little at Jack’s remark~ glad to be back.

 

JACK:

~picks up a thick, bulky leather bracelet, turning it over in his hand before looking over at the Doctor with a hopeful grin, gently tossing the vortex manipulator onto the table in front of the Doctor~ any chance you would have fixed this for me if you had your screwdriver?

 

DOCTOR:

~chuckles slightly when he recognizes the object—which takes a second given the gaps in his memory, picking it up and looking it over~ fine; I’ll see what I can do… the second you abuse it again I’ll take it back, though. Permanently. I have a toolbox in the TARDIS I can work with.

 

JACK:

~grins, pleasantly surprised that the Doctor accepted his request~ no problem! I promise I’ll be extra careful.

 

TOSHIKO:

~calls over to Jack~ I’ve pinpointed the signal.

 

DOCTOR:

~looks over at where Toshiko sits in interest, wondering who sent the code and if it’s really someone he doesn’t know—that’d be a pleasant surprise~

 

JACK:

~bounds over to the desk, still grinning slightly as he hunches over to look at the screen and the coordinates on display there, straightening up after a few moments~ right, let’s go check it out; shall we? ~looks around at everyone else in the room~ whoever wants to come.

 

DOCTOR:

~walks over to where Jack stands as casual acceptance of the invitation~ I’ll fix the Vortex Manipulator when we get back.

 

OWEN:

~eagerly gets up to join them~

 

GWEN:

~quickly follows Owen~

 

JACK:

~gives the Doctor a small nod, looking over at Toshiko and Ianto~ could you two stay and hold down the fort?

 

TOSHIKO:

~nods, getting back to her work~

 

JACK:

~heads over to another desk and grabs some light gear~

 

DOCTOR:

~puts the vortex manipulator in his pocket, following the group as they seem to know what they’re doing~

 

GWEN & OWEN:

~both gather a few small gadgets~

 

IANTO:

~Nods to Jack~

 

JACK:

~goes and gets his trench coat, coming back and walking past the Doctor, motioning for the rest of his team to follow as he makes his way out of HQ using the front entrance~

 

DOCTOR:

~the rest of them follow and the Doctor attempts conversation~ I have to say, Jack’s done good for Torchwood… it used to be a rather annoying and idiotic force that thought everything alien was theirs. That made a few problems for me…

 

OWEN & GWEN:

~both nod, seeming only faintly interested~

 

JACK:

~chuckles slightly as he leads the group outside to the SUV~

 

GWEN:

So… how do you know Jack? ~looks up at the Doctor curiously~

 

DOCTOR:

Well I was trying to fix an alien problem during the London Blitz; Jack, well… Jack was in a space-time con act. ~chuckles slightly, finding the story a bit humorous~ my companion at the time was a young woman named Rose who accidentally ended up hanging from a blimp with the British flag on her shirt in the middle of the Blitz. Before I could get to her, Jack got her with a tractor beam. I can’t say he didn’t show me up more than once that day and I can’t say I liked him but I couldn’t let him run about messing with space-time to con people.

 

OWEN:

~looks a bit confused as well as thoroughly amused~ space-time con? ~turns to Jack~ how does that even work?

 

JACK:

Just like any other con. ~opens the driver’s side of the SUV and climbs in~ I found a crashed medical ship that I thought was worthless, and tried to sell it as a warship.

 

GWEN:

~opens the door and slides into the backseat~

 

OWEN:

~climbs in the opposite side to Gwen~

 

DOCTOR:

~gets into the seat in the middle row in front of Owen~ so, where _are_ we headed?

 

JACK:

~starts up the car~ the coordinates meet up at a small neighborhood about half an hour away. I know, not what I was expecting either. But it’s definitely where the signal’s coming from. ~drives the SUV out onto the road~

 

DOCTOR:

~nods, leaning back in the seat~ so far, this seems like something new—and that’s saying something for me. In all honesty, I’m pretty excited.

 

JACK:

~glances back briefly, momentarily disoriented at the unfamiliar sight of the Doctor being in the seat behind him as he lets out a small chuckle~

 

DOCTOR:

~grimaces slightly after a moment, bringing a hand to his temple to ease a headache that’s been slowly developing from the drums. Looks over at Gwen and Owen~ so how’d you two meet Jack?

 

GWEN:

Well, I met Jack after delivering pizza to Torchwood HQ to get inside information… I had seen him and the rest of Torchwood bring a murder victim back to life for a few minutes. ~looks over at Owen for a second, then back at the Doctor, noticing his pained expression~ you alright?

 

DOCTOR:

~forces his expression to become neutral~ me? Always. ~closes his eyes for a second, shaking his head before looking back at Gwen~ just a headache. ~turns to Owen~ and you?

 

OWEN:

I met Jack at a bar and wouldn’t let him get away with being all secretive. ~shrugs~ talked with him about odd alien-based happenings, it’s not too interesting of a story, really.

 

JACK:

~chuckles and comments jokingly~ it would’ve been more interesting if you had taken me up on that hypervodka.

 

OWEN:

~Owen and the Doctor both chuckle lightheartedly, Owen responding~ I’m sure it would have.

 

DOCTOR:

~thinks back to the bar, immediately attempting to redirect his thoughts from his times with the Master, his smile fading~

 

GWEN:

~looks out the window thoughtfully, and eventually her curiosity gets the better of her~ so Doctor, why’d you just decide to pop in and join us all of a sudden? From what I gather you’re not usually keen on working with Torchwood.

 

DOCTOR:

Oh, Torchwood isn’t a nuisance anymore and I consider Jack a good friend; I had a lull in activity so I thought I’d stop by. ~lies with an amount of ease that inwardly disgusts him, glancing quickly at Jack~

 

JACK:

~meets the Doctor’s gaze with a glance and a solemn look as he turns the SUV onto a small side road that heads into a lightly wooded neighborhood, slowing down~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the small houses all look normal and generally well-kept, except for the fact that all of the front doors are open~

 

JACK:

~looks out of the window and focuses on something in surprise as the car jerks to a momentary stop; shakes his head, calling back to everyone~ sorry ‘bout that, guys… ~slows the SUV to a gentle stop~ I think this is the right place.

 

DOCTOR:

~nods, a little too eager to get out of the SUV as he looks out the window at the houses~ am I the only one half-expecting androids to start welcoming us into those houses in a typically creepy fashion?

 

OWEN:

~looks at the Doctor as if confused~ I think that’s just you.

 

GWEN:

~chuckles, getting out of the car along with Jack after he parks it~

 

JACK:

~freezes when he notices the next house over—which looks like it’s been hit by a small meteor; with a collapsed hole in the roof that gives off white smoke around the edges~ yep… definitely the right place. ~he starts heading towards the house with little to no caution, like it’s an inviting residence~

 

DOCTOR:

~Owen and the Doctor both climb out of the car, following Jack. The Doctor starts rattling off possibilities~ could be an escape pod, though it could be any part of a destroyed ship built to last. Then again, it could be the whole ship; I’ve worked with smaller… ~stops himself, realizing he’s starting to ramble~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the area smells of smoke, the house seeming to give off a gravitational pull through a faint telepathic connection. As they get closer to the house, the Master can be seen crouched down and looking out of one of the front windows, waving at the Doctor with a small smile when he catches the other Timelord’s attention, standing and walking past the window, going out of sight~

 

DOCTOR:

~just freezes for a moment, looking at the window, tearing up slightly. A second after the Master goes out of view, strides at a considerably faster pace to the front door, knowing it can’t be the Master but filled with a desperate hope anyway~

 

JACK:

~jogs to catch up to the Doctor, a little confused~ what’s got you in such a hurry?

GWEN:

~speeds up as well in order to stay with the group as Jack pushes the door open~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~inside is a straight hallway to the kitchen, with a living room and a staircase to the immediate right and left (respectively). The kitchen is burned and wrecked, with a faintly glowing, three-foot-long spacecraft burrowed into the smoking floorboards~

 

MASTER:

~sits atop the charred table, looking down at the spacecraft with interest as he casually rocks his dangling feet back and forth~

 

DOCTOR:

~stops once he gets in the house, knowing better than to trust what he sees though he wants more than anything to believe it, his voice shaky when he gestures to the Master and speaks~ tell me you can see him…?

 

OWEN:

~jogs in after them, unable to see around them to the kitchen to answer~

 

JACK:

~looks around, blinking a few times in confusion~ …him? ~walks into the kitchen, making a slicing motion through empty air and taking a satisfied step back~

 

MASTER:

~gives Jack a perplexed look and slides off of the table, putting his hands in his pockets and beginning to walk over to the Doctor~

 

JACK:

I’m pretty sure this smoke is hallucinogenic. It’s probably a defense system, as well as a way to call in help from the right people. ~crouches down beside the spacecraft~

 

DOCTOR:

Well it um- ~swallows, making a vain attempt to steady his voice~ certainly wants some help. ~watches the Master walk up to him, wondering if hallucinations could feel real if you believed them enough, it taking a good amount of effort to stop himself from tearing up completely~

 

OWEN:

~looks confused until Jack explains, nodding and walking over to Jack to help out with the ship~

 

MASTER:

~looks up at the Doctor, a mixture of confused and concerned as if he doesn’t understand the way the Doctor is acting, coming to a stop about a foot away from him~ Doctor, are you okay?

 

JACK:

~cautiously feels around the pod, looking for a way to open it~

 

GWEN:

~looks up at the Doctor in concern, staying by his side~

 

DOCTOR:

N-not really… ~glances quickly at the others, knowing he’s talking to something they can’t see, before looking back at the Master~ you’re dead, Master, you’re not _here,_ you’re dead. You died, back in Aperture. ~a tear escapes his eye and he quickly catches it with his sleeve~

 

GWEN:

~looks up at the Doctor, eyebrows furrowed in confusion~

 

MASTER:

~takes a small step forward, placing his hand gently on one side of the Doctor’s chest, the touch feeling ghostly yet somehow real~ but I _am_ here.

 

JACK:

~sits up a little~ aha! ~the pod opens with a whine and a cloud of white smoke billows out as Jack waves it away, looking over at the Doctor and Gwen~ Doctor! Gwen! C’mon over here.

 

DOCTOR:

~calls over to Jack~ I’ll be there in a minute! ~looks down at the Master’s hand then back up to the Master,  wanting too much for it to be true to argue~ okay, Master… ~sets his hand as gently as possible over the Master’s, careful not to go through the hallucination~ then maybe you can help us help whatever’s in the pod?

 

OWEN:

~looks exasperated and confused as to why the Doctor and Gwen are just standing there talking to thin air~

 

GWEN:

~gives the Doctor one last look of concern before walking over to Jack, and murmuring something to him~

 

JACK:

~looks up and calls to the Doctor, apologetically~ Doctor… it’s just a hallucination.

 

MASTER:

~smiles at the Doctor, letting his hand slip out from under the Doctor’s~ I can.

 

DOCTOR:

~brings his hand back to his side, giving the Master a little smile back before turning to walk over to the group, blinking back tears and trying to keep himself from watching the Master, muttering once he crouches beside the pod with the others~ he’s real enough for me.

 

MASTER:

~follows, standing beside the Doctor and carefully running his fingers through the other Timelord’s hair, without actually ruffling it~

 

JACK:

~sighs lightly, looking down at the opened pod and fanning the white smoke away. Inside is a flat device covered by a leather-like material and surrounded by a thick, protective liquid—a common type of packaging for intergalactic mail. On the cover are the small embroidered letters “Don’t Panic”~ well, that’s disappointing. ~stands up~

 

DOCTOR:

It does leave a good set of questions: why the hallucinogenic gas if it’s just a package? Why the opened doors? What’s the code? And, perhaps most importantly, why does it assume whoever’s receiving it has reason to panic? ~it takes a good deal of effort to focus between the drums and the Master, knowing he’s probably missing something~

 

JACK:

Let’s take it back, then. ~flicks the pod closed, cautiously reaching in to pick it up and stand straight, waiting a moment and shrugging dismissively when contact with the object doesn’t kill him~ let’s hope the gas will clear up after a while.

 

DOCTOR:

~nods, secretly hoping it doesn’t clear up—at least not soon, silently taking a deep breath of the thick, contaminated air~ so, back to Torchwood?

 

JACK:

Yep. ~heads outside, followed by Gwen~

 

MASTER:

~wanders in the direction of the door, trailing after Jack and Gwen casually~

 

OWEN:

~half-jogs to catch up~

 

DOCTOR:

~walks beside the Master, knowing whenever he looks at the Master he’s looking at thin air and trying to keep his eyes on the group~ if I’m seeing the Master… who are you guys seeing?

 

JACK:

~chuckles as he climbs into the car~ I was seeing multiple people. Multiple, quite interesting people. ~laughs to himself~

 

GWEN:

~gets into the backseat, not responding to the Doctor’s question but asking one herself~ who… was the Master?

 

MASTER:

~doesn’t seem to have to climb into the car, rather he’s just there, sitting on the floor beside the Doctor’s seat~

 

OWEN:

~climbs into the car~

 

DOCTOR:

~sighs, looking at the Master then Gwen~ I’m a Timelord—as I’m sure you’ve picked up on the fact that I’m “alien”—and my species had an enormous war that ended up wiping out everyone except for me and the Master. I thought the Master was dead too at first but then he returned—do you remember a Harold Saxon running for Prime Minister then disappearing? ~finds difficulty in deciding where to start~

 

OWEN:

~nods, looking confused~ yeah, I was going to vote for him.

 

GWEN:

~nods a little, thoughtful~ …I think so.

 

MASTER:

~curls up and rests his head gently on the Doctor’s thigh, sighing contentedly~

 

JACK:

~puts the pod in the passenger seat, starting up the car to drive back out onto the road~

 

DOCTOR:

~glances down at the Master, finding his fake presence both comforting and painful~ well that was him. Not figuratively; actually him. That got complicated and he fell off the radar for a bit. Long story short we were forced through various tortures and grew close—he was practically my family and the only other Timelord alive. Then the AI that put us through those tortures killed him… let us have six hours for goodbyes, then killed him and took his body. That’s the reason why I came, by the way; sorry for lying.

 

OWEN:

~looks down in grim silence, sorry for being so aggravated with the time the Doctor took back at the house~

 

GWEN:

~looks down and goes quiet for a while as well, eventually asking in a somewhat lowered voice~ did you find a way to stop the AI? Maybe shut it down?

 

DOCTOR:

I can’t… she has control over the TARDIS and so much else. ~looks down for a second before looking back up with a sort of urgency~ but you guys can’t help; please don’t try. She’s giving me this much freedom and I know better than to ignore Her warning when it comes to attacking.

 

JACK:

~responds almost angrily~ Doctor, I’ve let you try to deal with this yourself… now the Master’s dead. ~glances back at the Doctor briefly as he drives, his tone softening~ nothing is going to change unless you get someone to help.

 

DOCTOR:

~looks furious and devastated at the same time~ first off, Jack, don’t you DARE act like there was ANYTHING _ANYONE_ could do about that. Don’t for one second, think I didn’t TRY to find a way to stop that. ~takes a deep breath, holding back tears~ and second, you’re just going to get yourselves killed, or worse—she’d have a good old time with someone she can kill _repetitively._ If she can disable me and kill the Master on whim what makes you think you can do ANYTHING to help!?

 

MASTER:

~lifts his head, reaching up with his right hand to hold the Doctor’s forearm, looking distressed at the Doctor’s shouting~

 

JACK:

~goes quiet, focusing on the road intently and letting out a small sigh~

 

DOCTOR:

~breathes heavily, bringing up the arm that the Master isn’t holding to wipe tears from his eyes. Brings his other hand up to the Master’s cheek comfortingly, muttering in response to Jack’s silence~ exactly.

 

MASTER:

~his presence begins to feel gradually more nonexistent, despite his unchanging visual appearance. He frowns slightly, leaning into the Doctor’s hand and closing his eyes~

 

JACK:

~is silent for the rest of the drive; maneuvering the SUV into Torchwood HQ, hesitating a moment before turning the car off~

 

DOCTOR:

~gets out of the SUV once they’re parked, stuffing his hands into his pockets~ I will still fix the vortex manipulator for you.

 

OWEN:

~gets out as well, looking at the Doctor in a sort of fearful sympathy~

 

JACK:

~grabs the pod and gets out, giving Owen and Gwen quick glances before heading to the entrance and down into HQ with the rest of the group, keeping quiet and solemnly focused~

 

MASTER:

~doesn’t seem to have followed them out of the SUV~

 

DOCTOR:

~walks with the group, not knowing why he’s worried for his hallucination. Once they’re in HQ he takes the vortex manipulator into the TARDIS to fix it~ tell me if anything interesting happens.

 

IANTO:

~seems confused by the somber mood of the group, giving Jack a concerned, questioning look~

 

JACK:

~meets Ianto’s gaze, walking over to a relatively empty desk and setting the space-package down carefully~ we found what sent the signal. ~addressing Toshiko and Ianto; goes to retrieve some gloves, opening the pod and reaching in to pull the flat device out from the gel it’s stored in, setting it down on the table beside the pod and continuing to dig through the gel for anything else that might be inside~

 

DOCTOR:

~walks into the TARDIS, his home seeming coldly empty without the Master. Grabs his toolbox from under the grated floor and gets to work on the vortex manipulator using various small tools~

 

OWEN & IANTO:

~look at the alien objects, not daring to touch them~

 

TARDIS:

~greets the Doctor, noticing his upset nature and carefully asking how the trip went, concerned~

 

JACK:

~fishes around, finding something else in the gel, perking up slightly as he grabs it and pulls it out; looking at the pamphlet for a few seconds, confused as he sets it down on the table~ I think it’s an instruction manual…

 

DOCTOR:

~is about to speak to the TARDIS mentally but remembers there’s no one else to speak aloud to~ the pod that gave off the signal also was surrounded by hallucinogenic gas; I saw and interacted with the Master. That led to explanation, however, and Jack-… Jack spewed some ignorant crap. ~pulls up the memory of the conversation that led to him shouting at Jack~ you do have full permission to fish through my memories yourself, I’m sure they’re more intact by now.

 

OWEN:

~Ianto looks confused as Owen asks~ a manual for what, not panicking?

 

TARDIS:

~comforts the Doctor again, not knowing what else to do in the current circumstance~

 

JACK:

No… ~flips through the pamphlet, reading a few lines here and there (mentally thanking the TARDIS for her automatic translations) and showing the front page to Ianto and Owen, which reads “thank you for your inter-dimensional purchase of The Guide.”~

 

OWEN & IANTO:

~they look at “the Guide” in interest, Owen speaking before Ianto gets the chance~ so that thing ~gestures to the device with the “Don’t Panic” cover~ is the Guide and it was sent from a parallel.

 

DOCTOR:

~thinks back to the TARDIS thankfully while working on the vortex manipulator~

 

JACK:

Looks like. ~turns back around, setting the manual down on the table and closing the pod. Pulls his gloves off, picking up the delivered cargo and looking at it curiously before opening the cover of the Kindle-like device; it automatically turns on, reading “the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy”, with the words “Don’t Panic” at the bottom of the screen~

 

TARDIS:

~quietly hums for a while, her curiosity suddenly sparking as she informs the Doctor about something interesting going on outside~

 

DOCTOR:

Thanks. ~picks up the tool he’s using, shoving all but one in his pocket and walking out while working on the vortex manipulator~ the TARDIS said something interesting happened? ~walks over to the group~

 

JACK:

~looks up from the device~ this seems to be some kind of… book, sent from a parallel dimension. “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.” Ever heard of it? ~turns it around and sets it on the table, facing the Doctor~

 

GWEN:

~steps to the side to let the Doctor pass~

 

DOCTOR:

Yeah, I think so… ~sets the vortex manipulator aside, looking at the device~ so you’re telling me that the whole problem is over what looks like a novel? Like the open-doored houses and hallucinogenic gas and the distress signal… ~looks at the pamphlet before sliding his hand across the screen in an attempt to turn the virtual page~

 

DEVICE:

~the page transitions into a scrollable table of contents—listing names of planets, species, spacecraft, good restaurants & bars, etc. in alphabetical order. At the top is a search bar~

 

JACK:

Not like any novel I’ve seen. It looks true to its title. ~picks up the pamphlet and skims through again~

 

DOCTOR:

~shrugs, looking at the categories on the screen~ if it came from a parallel, its relevance in this universe could vary greatly… the question still stands—why send it here in a cloud of hallucinogens?

 

JACK:

I don’t know. Maybe it was supposed to end up on a different planet. ~looks closely at a part of the pamphlet with interest~ It says it automatically updates to its dimension and… local common reality perception…? ~Jack makes a face and sets the pamphlet on the table again~ sounds like pretty advanced tech.

 

DOCTOR:

Or maybe there are trans-dimensional aliens here that need to find their way around ~seems fairly excited~ either way this should be an interesting informational book full of things I know. ~looks through the book despite his statement, the bars reminding him of the Master’s choice of activity during his last three hours~

 

JACK:

Unless you want to try and find who it’s for. ~shrugs, taking a small step back from the desk~ you’re free to use it. I don’t think anyone here is into spacecraft hitchhiking. ~looks over at Ianto dismissively~ anything important happen while we were out?

 

IANTO:

~shrugs~ nothing that doesn’t usually happen… but what happened with you guys?

 

DOCTOR:

~shuts the device and goes back to working on the vortex manipulator~ it is weird, though, how it almost _wanted_ us to find it…

 

JACK:

~glances at Ianto before looking back at the Doctor, then down at the Guide~ as I said; might’ve been a defense system. ~thinks silently for a few moments, turning to Ianto with a smile~ o-kay, how about some takeout? It’s lunch time.

 

IANTO:

~nods, perplexed by Jack’s avoidance of his question~ yeah, sure; where from this time?

 

DOCTOR:

~nods, seeming to dismiss it and finishing the vortex manipulator~ it should work now.

 

JACK:

Eh, anywhere fast will do. ~turns back to the Doctor, retrieving his vortex manipulator with a small, excited grin~ thanks, Doc. ~gives him a quick two-fingered salute~ I won’t abuse it. ~turns and strides away, headed to his office~

 

DOCTOR:

~looks at the rest of the group, feeling awkwardly out of place but desperately wanting to continue to distract himself~ so…

 

IANTO:

~nods and goes to order takeout, still wondering why Jack avoided the question~

 

GWEN:

~glances at the Doctor with a somewhat sympathetic look, walking over to Toshiko and sitting in a chair next to her to peer at what she’s been working on~

 

TARDIS:

~after a few moments of awkward quiet the TARDIS mentally nudges the Doctor, trying to help by bringing up the fact that she’d be willing to talk if no one else would~

 

DOCTOR:

~decidedly walks back to the TARDIS, wondering how long he can distract himself from the truth of the situation and thanking the TARDIS~ _you’re_ always there for me… ~freezes as he realizes he said that out loud, momentarily terrified by the thought of GLaDOS taking the TARDIS too~

 

TARDIS:

~tries her best to comfort the Doctor, reassuring him that it wouldn’t be a logical thing for GLaDOS to do; urging him to put his thoughts on a different track~

 

DOCTOR:

~nods, relaxing back into his usual posture~ you’re right, you’re right… I’m just a little jumpy, that’s all. ~tries to think positively, finding it near impossible to find a positive memory or thought process that doesn’t cause worry or grief~

 

TARDIS:

~gets slightly distressed when the ‘different thought process’ advice doesn’t seem to be working that well; instead she tentatively pushes the memories back, clearing the Doctor’s mind as best she can and bringing the drums’ volume down as much as they allow her to. Still seems a little paranoid about doing anything with the Doctor’s mind~

 

DOCTOR:

I’m okay, really. I mean, thanks, but how long can I _really_ run from this? I’ve run from things all my life, you know that, but in reality this is one thing I can’t run away from even with you. Timelords gave me responsibilities, I ran. Time War started, I ran. Time War ended, I ran. The Master just died and guess what I’m doing? Running. But it doesn’t really work the same, does it? ~shakes his head, thinking aloud by now~

 

TARDIS:

~somberly agrees, thoughtfully idle for a moment before asking the Doctor if it would be better, in the long term, to keep “running” from the Master’s death~

 

DOCTOR:

~thinks for a moment~ really all running does is make things catch up slower and I hate to be such a pessimist but it won’t, in the long run, make a difference whether I confront it now or later. GLaDOS went and killed the only other Timelord in existence, that’s something that’s not going away, especially when-… ~cuts off, explanatorily bringing up the memory of the Master telling him he loves him~

 

TARDIS:

~expresses her concern for the Doctor, trying to comfort him with a sort of telepathic hug as she tells him that whatever he decides to do she’ll go along with it; unless of course it’s completely foolish~

 

DOCTOR:

~smiles a little, petting the console rim subconsciously~ I’ll promise you the same thing I did him; I’ll try not to do anything stupid.

 

TARDIS:

~accepts the promise, humming contentedly under the Doctor’s hand. Someone knocks twice on the TARDIS door before opening it~

 

JACK:

~peers in at the Doctor, holding a few boxes of pizza in one hand~ hey Doctor; you hungry?

 

DOCTOR:

Sure. ~turns from the console with a mental, thankful see-you-later to the TARDIS, walking out. Closes the door behind him~

 

JACK:

~walks over to a generally clean table, pulling out a chair and setting the pizza boxes down as he sits, already opening a box to grab a slice as Gwen makes her way over~

 

DOCTOR & IANTO & OWEN:

~they all walk up and grab a slice and sit down around the table~

 

DOCTOR:

~his eyebrows furrow slightly in distress as the drums start to try to work their way back up to the volume they were at before the TARDIS turned them down~

 

TOSHIKO:

~takes off a headset and walks over to the group to join them~

 

JACK:

~notices the Doctor’s discomforted grimace with concern, taking a bite of his pizza~ what is it, Doctor?

 

DOCTOR:

~glances down at his pizza, avoiding Jack’s gaze as he decides whether or not to lie, looking back at him after a moment~ I mentioned it quickly before, I think… the drums? The exact drumming that the Master had in his head for so long. GLaDOS planted it in mine.

 

JACK:

Wait; ~his eyes widen in surprise and he lowers his pizza slightly~ she did _what?_

 

TOSHIKO:

~looks at the Doctor suspiciously as she gets herself a slice of pizza and sits down, slightly annoyed at not having been told about GLaDOS~

 

DOCTOR:

You heard me… turns out they never actually were a symptom of the Master’s insanity, either. ~sighs~ should I just back up and get you all up to speed? ~takes a bite of pizza while waiting for the answer~

 

TOSHIKO:

~nods, responding first~ yes.

 

JACK:

~adds after she speaks~ if you’re okay with it.

 

GWEN:

~seems to agree as well~

 

OWEN & IANTO:

~both nod expectantly~

 

DOCTOR:

~lowers his pizza to speak to the group~ okay then; the Master and I were the last two remaining of our kind before just recently GLaDOS—an AI that runs a scientific facility that operates more like a torture chamber—killed him; that’s why I came here. The Master was always a good guy at heart but he went utterly mad and enslaved the human race under the name “Harold Saxon”; you four don’t remember because I fixed it. The thing that made him mad with such lust, such _hunger,_ for everything was a noise, a drum beat of four. That noise was assumed to be a symptom but it actually was the cause of his madness. The drums were planted in his head secretly by Rassilon, leader of the Timelords, and they have almost a personality of their own; granted, the Master was a little devil either way but he never hurt anyone without the drums. GLaDOS took the drums out of his head but later planted them in mine. The Master, knowing the drums’ nature, was able to help a good deal until-… ~trails off, finding his last statement self-explanatory anyway~

 

TOSHIKO:

~the rest of the crew are silent for a moment, before Toshiko speaks up and breaks the mood with a casual tone~ so, ~takes a bite of her pizza~ where’s this facility?

 

DOCTOR:

There is absolutely _no way_ I’m letting you guys go on a suicide mission because someone screwed up my life. ~takes a bite of his pizza in finality~

 

JACK:

~sighs quietly, focused downward~ at least let us look into it. ~looks over at the Doctor, speaking sincerely~ we wouldn’t just hop into harm’s way without a plan. We’re not stupid. ~continues to eat his pizza whenever he’s not talking~

 

DOCTOR:

It’s hard for me to figure out what you don’t understand about this. I’ve thought through _everything_ I could _possibly_ do to beat Her; there is no way to stop her and the second you step in that facility you’re no more than Her lab rat. And what’s worse? YOU FOUR ~gestures to Ianto, Owen, Gwen, and Toshiko~ are utterly disposable in Her eyes. ~sounds a mixture of fearful, exasperated, and astonished~

 

TOSHIKO:

~looks slightly taken aback~

 

GWEN:

~awkwardly stops mid-bite~

 

JACK:

Doctor, I get that. What I’m trying to say is we might not _have_ to set foot in the facility. ~returns some of the Doctor’s exasperation in his tone, looking concerned~

 

OWEN & IANTO:

~exchange a nervous glance~

 

DOCTOR:

~leans back in his chair~ fine, I’ll humor the concept, what’s your brilliant plan to destroy what I couldn’t? ~smirks slightly in a “this should be good”, feeling an odd accomplishment in the room’s tension, taking a bite of pizza~

 

JACK:

~his eyes widen slightly in surprise, not having a plan already made and scrambling  a little to make one up on the spot~ well-… um, we could, scan the place… find where GLaDOS is and maybe… get UNIT to drop a bomb. Or something. ~makes an open gesture with his hands to indicate that he wasn’t expecting the inquiry~ I really didn’t have one already in place.

 

DOCTOR:

Bombs are going to be defused remotely before they hit the ground, she had Timelord tech. Also, that would kill a good amount of innocents. ~takes another bite of pizza~ oh and She’s warned me any offence will lead to consequences and I know better than to take that lightly. Chances are the TARDIS is next on her hit-list. There’s really no way to do it; but, by all means, think up more vain plans.

 

JACK:

~sighs heavily, getting fed up~ okay, okay. We’ll stay out of it. ~glances at the rest of his team as if seeking agreement, or to encourage someone else to speak up if they disagree or, even better, have another plan~

 

OWEN:

~speaks up~ we can’t just let this “facility” keep on running; the Doctor isn’t the only one getting hurt by this GLaDOS character. ~turns to the Doctor~ am I wrong?

 

DOCTOR:

~sighs~ no, but adding to the number of people getting hurt isn’t going to make anyone feel better. ~continues to eat~

 

JACK:

~finishes up the last bit of his pizza, looking down at the table somberly, his voice slightly lowered~ this isn’t like you, Doctor… ~sounds sympathetic if anything~

 

DOCTOR:

MAYBE- ~cuts himself off, cooling his temper before continuing~ maybe I’m just tired of fighting… or maybe I’m tired of people dying or getting hurt because of me. I don’t know, maybe a mixture of the damned drums and always losing everyone I care about is making me a little more pessimistic than usual. ~gets increasingly bitter throughout his statement~

 

JACK:

You don’t always lose everyone… ~looks up to meet the Doctor’s gaze~ you have the TARDIS with you; and I’ll be around for a while. ~smirks slightly, however it fades after a few moments~ I want to help you out of this…but I don’t know what else I can do.

 

DOCTOR:

~lets out a noise somewhere between a chuckle and a sob, finishing his pizza slice~ you can’t do anything more than you are, and that’s fine. Though if it’d make you happy you can give GLaDOS a piece of your mind without setting foot in Aperture.

 

JACK:

~leans forward, propping up an elbow on the table and resting his hand on the side of his face, speaking thoughtfully~ and how would I do that?

 

DOCTOR:

She’s connected to the TARDIS; She can see and hear everything that goes on there but as of recently She doesn’t seem able to change the TARDIS’ location without me.

 

JACK:

~puts his hand back on the table, looking down in thought and decidedly shaking his head, standing up and pushing the chair back~ nah, there’s no point. Plus, we probably shouldn’t meet; you said I’d be an interesting subject to her... and I don’t think “interesting” entails what I’d like it to entail.

 

DOCTOR:

~chuckles a little darkly~ no, it really doesn’t, though you’d seem perfectly human. ~looks down at the table casually, though drum-induced lust is festering in his mind, begging to be acted upon~

 

TOSHIKO:

~finishes her slice, getting another and heading back over to her desk~

 

JACK:

~shrugs slightly, pushing his chair in and looking at the Doctor~ feel free to stick around; something else is bound to come up. I’ll be in my office if you need me. ~gives a small friendly smile, turning and walking off at an unhurried pace, sliding his coat off his shoulders as he goes~

 

DOCTOR:

~nods with a little smile at Jack before looking back down at the table, trying to decide his next course of action without the drums influencing his choice~

 

OWEN:

~finishes his pizza and goes to grab a second slice~

 

IANTO:

~goes back to his desk~

 

GWEN:

~still finishing up her first slice of pizza,  looks over at the Doctor, sympathetic and concerned for him, speaking a little hesitantly~ will you be alright?

 

DOCTOR:

~gives a faint smile as he glances up from the table at Gwen~ I tend to be alright. I’ve been through relatively similar… travelling about with humans, I’ve made a habit of being alright. ~gives the long answer as to not lie but not say he’s not alright~

 

GWEN:

Just, ~lowers her pizza to meet the Doctor’s gaze in concern, knowing that he’s avoiding giving an answer~ try not to get yourself worked up. Most of us just don’t understand how to help, apart from finding someone to attack. ~glances down at the table, sighing lightly~

 

DOCTOR:

It’s not your inability to help or my lack of help that frustrates me; it’s how quickly humans are willing to risk their lives… ~shakes his head~ I should leave anyway. I know what the drums can do, I’m putting you all in danger just by being here.

 

GWEN:

~looks at the Doctor quickly~ are you sure? ~adopts a faint look of confusion~ you haven’t been violent this whole time; what makes you dangerous now?

 

DOCTOR:

The drums get stronger—more prominent—and I’ve been able to control myself because recently GLaDOS gave me a break so they were practically back to square one when it comes to control. They’re gaining strength and it’s getting hard for me to keep myself under control…

 

GWEN:

~finishes up her pizza slice~ well, if it’s a matter of willpower… ~shakes her head slightly as if dismissing her own argument~ just do what you feel is best, I suppose.

 

DOCTOR:

~bites back a sharp retort, nodding~ I’ll stay a while longer; the second I even come close to hurting one of you guys I’m leaving, though.

 

GWEN:

~nods back at him, giving a small smile before getting up and turning slightly, stopping to add~ you should talk to Jack… this is the most lively I’ve seen him all week. ~goes to head back to her desk~

 

DOCTOR:

~smiles back, getting up and debating whether to take Gwen’s advice and go talk to Jack or go back to the TARDIS, thinking after a moment that it can’t hurt and walking over to Jack’s office~

 

JACK:

~sits behind his desk, spinning slowly in his chair and looking down at the working vortex manipulator in his hand, almost in awe. Looks up when the Doctor comes in, smiling and speaking jokingly~ hey; did you get bored of the rest of the team?

 

DOCTOR:

They don’t seem to prefer talking to me; I can understand that. Gwen and I talked for a minute but then she decided to make me your problem instead. ~smirks back good-humoredly~

 

JACK:

Oh, I don’t mind. ~spins around one last time before stopping to face the Doctor, setting the vortex manipulator on the desk and leaning back in his chair casually~ thanks again, for fixing it.

 

DOCTOR:

No problem… sorry for blowing up on you earlier. ~inwardly grimaces at the familiar apology, remembering saying nearly the exact same thing to the Master~

 

JACK:

It’s fine, I understand. I just wanted to do something about it. ~opens up a drawer in his desk, rifling through it and pulling out a flask, taking a nearby glass and pouring some of the flask’s contents into it, looking up at the Doctor with a borderline-flirtatious smile~ care for a drink?

 

DOCTOR:

~looks at the drink, his own smile one of bitter-sweet remembrance. Looks back at Jack almost accusingly~ you know, you caught me at one of the few times I’ll accept that offer.

 

JACK:

~his smile widens slightly as he pushes the glass towards the Doctor, his tone lighthearted~ you’ve been doing lots of things differently than I expected. ~finds another glass and pours some liquor into it, taking a small sip before putting the flask back in the drawer and closing it up~

 

DOCTOR:

~takes his glass thankfully~ I’m not surprised; between Aperture and the drums and the Master I’d assume I’ve changed. This isn’t the first time this past week I’m drinking more than a glass at a party, either, just with different company. ~takes a sip from his glass~

 

JACK:

~raises his eyebrows slightly, leaning back in his chair as he takes a slow drink, setting the glass back down on the table after a few seconds~ at least you’ve had company. ~looks around the room for another place to sit~ want me to bring in a chair for you?

 

DOCTOR:

~waves the offer off~ nah, I’m fine with standing. ~takes another sip~ so, anything interesting happen with you folks recently? ~leans casually on the wall~

 

JACK:

Not really. ~reclines in his chair, resting his half-empty glass in his lap~ a signal or two that turned out to be a normal fluke; some lone aliens that we tracked down and took care of. Nothing too complicated; but there’s an abundance of it.

 

DOCTOR:

Any of the usual suspects? You know; Daleks, Cybermen, Silurian, Lonely Assassins… ~makes a sort of wide gesture to indicate his variety of enemies~

 

JACK:

No, they were all pretty humanoid. I suppose they were trying to blend in; until, of course, there was a slip and we got word of the disturbance. ~takes an unhurried sip of his drink~ couldn’t identify the species. There was little resistance when we told them to go home, though. ~takes another, smaller drink, grinning a little around the rim of his glass at the Doctor~ no killing or torture involved.

 

DOCTOR:

I should hope not. ~sounds almost scolding~ though it seems you people are quick to assume that if you look human you are human; it’s not too hard to blend in. ~takes a sip of the alcoholic beverage, not entirely sure what it is but knowing the Master could probably tell him in a heartbeat if he were there~

 

JACK:

Most people don’t go around assuming everyone’s an alien, either. ~shrugs slightly, taking another drink and almost finishing the contents of his glass~

 

DOCTOR:

There’s no other option for me. ~takes a drink, having finished around ¾ of his glass. Feels his judgement blurring slightly, thinking that maybe, in hindsight, drinking with the drums wasn’t a good idea~

 

JACK:

You have good reasons, though. ~fiddles with his glass slightly, drinking the rest of the liquor and gently setting the glass down on the desk, looking up at the Doctor curiously~ I never asked—what happened to that little girl you picked up… Heather, was it?

 

DOCTOR:

~takes a minute, having not remembered Heather yet~ I… left her with a trustable pair… Amy and Rory were their names. ~feels the minor accomplishment that comes with remembering, though also the pain of the memories~

 

JACK:

~looks confused for a moment at the Doctor’s slow response before remembering the Doctor’s memories were taken, nodding slightly with understanding~ that’s good… sorry, I’d almost forgotten about your memory. How’re you doing with that, by the way?

 

DOCTOR:

Good; it’s gotten easier to remember things, especially since I’ve remembered the worst already. ~drinks nearly all his remaining liquor, pausing before taking the last sip and setting the glass on Jack’s desk~

 

JACK:

~looks at the Doctor’s empty glass for a second before glancing up at the Doctor, sounding slightly teasing and slightly concerned~ don’t drink too fast. ~is about to add “I wouldn’t want you getting drunk”, but smirks to himself, knowing that’s not entirely true while at the same time not wanting to bring it up in a situation like this~

 

DOCTOR:

~gives Jack a slightly exasperated look~ I’m a 912-year-old Timelord; I can handle a little liquor. ~knows his confidence is entirely artificial given his own fear toward the situation~

 

JACK:

~shrugs slightly, trying to keep a non-hostile atmosphere~ not saying you couldn’t. ~sits up, looking down at the items on his desk for a few seconds before speaking hopefully~ are you planning on sticking around? I’d be glad to have some company at night.

 

DOCTOR:

~nods, glad to change the subject but unable to hold back a slight smirk at Jack’s wording~ yeah, I thought I’d stick around as long as I can be trusted… though that could vary wildly in length.

 

JACK:

~looks up, seeing the Doctor’s smirk and looking a bit confused for a moment before going back to his optimistic, carefree nature as he gives a little smile~ puts a little adventure into this, doesn’t it?

 

DOCTOR:

~his smirk doesn’t fade or strengthen as he speaks~ as long as you don’t mind the adventure. ~feels conflicted mentally, the drums constantly chipping away at his morality and willpower~ it’s a bitter sort of irony when you think about it; the Master died and all that’s left of him, as far as I know, is this goddamned noise.

 

JACK:

Well-… ~begins to grow a little concerned for the Doctor as he searches for something reassuring to say~ it’s not like he’s personally trying to drive you insane… ~glances over at the items on his desk, thinking for a brief moment that it should probably be straightened up~

 

DOCTOR:

~suddenly looks thoughtful, zoning out in thought as his mind goes over what Jack said and past conversation as if trying to piece something together~

 

JACK:

~looks at the Doctor, becoming more concerned after a few seconds as he tilts his head to the side slightly~ Doctor? What is it?

 

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head, avoiding looking at Jack as if ashamed though a faint grin plays across his face~ you’ve been extraordinarily conflict-avoidant and you just said I’m being driven insane, which I haven’t said though I’ve hinted at, which means you either pity me or you’re afraid… or maybe you’re a wise mixture of the two.

 

JACK:

~raises his eyebrows slightly, not having expected that kind of response~ you’ve been quite observant. ~looks downward for a moment as if contemplating whether to confirm the Doctor’s observations~ …yes, I’m avoiding conflict, and yes, I pity you; but I couldn’t consider myself scared of you… I don’t know, maybe I am and I’m just not noticing. ~gives a small shrug~

 

DOCTOR:

But the weird thing is that you trust me. You know I could go berserk any time and yet here we are, drinking in your office like all is well with the world. ~his careless grin fades to a serious, almost angry expression~ while it’s not.

 

JACK:

~chuckles a little nervously, fiddling with his empty glass while it sits on the table~ wouldn’t you say it’s better to pretend it is? Especially when there’s so little we can actually do about it…

 

DOCTOR:

I always pretend I’m alright. For everyone. But the Master is _dead._ ~sighs as if struggling to find a sensible way to describe his situation~ imagine you found someone like you with the time energy problem, and you got along really well. You finally find someone that might not have to leave, you develop a relationship, you know them as well if not better than you know yourself. Then, someone finds a way to kill them and kills them. Tell me you’d be able to be alright.

 

JACK:

I-… well… probably not. ~glances downward somberly as he thinks through the hypothetical situation the Doctor’s given, understanding his grief just a little bit more than before~ I may or may not fully understand what you’re going through, but it doesn’t change the fact that it happened.

 

DOCTOR:

~looks down at the floor, within a minute looking as if he couldn’t hurt a fly, shaking his head~ sorry; I can’t-… I should leave…

 

JACK:

What? Why? ~doesn’t seem to think the Doctor’s been acting even remotely dangerous for the past couple of minutes~ you can’t…?

 

DOCTOR:

I can’t keep fighting the drums… I shouldn’t have even gone to this planet after it happened. Not only am I unstable because of grief, I have the drums willing me to hurt people and wanting to dominate everything… The Master helped originally, but he’s gone now.

 

JACK:

~looks at the Doctor in concern, standing up and resting his hands on his desk~ we—I could try to help… ~shakes his head slightly, knowing that probably wouldn’t work and giving a light sigh~ right; go if you have to.

 

DOCTOR:

~chuckles a little darkly, remembering the Master’s methods of distracting him~ yeah… ~looks up from the floor at Jack~ thank you; and your team. I’d say goodbye, I just get the bad idea I’m your next big alien threat.

 

JACK:

~gives him a brief smile as if trying to turn the Doctor’s statement into some sort of joke~ I certainly hope not… ~looks around the room as a quick glance, coming back to meet the Doctor’s gaze~ see you later, then?

 

DOCTOR:

For better or for worse, I’ll stop by. Though worse come to worst I might fall on your radar before then. ~meets Jack’s gaze equivalently, masking his fear with a blank expression as he heads out of Jack’s office~

 

JACK:

~doesn’t follow him out~

 

TARDIS:

~greets the Doctor with an undertone of slight worry, warning him nonchalantly about something concerning GLaDOS~

 

DOCTOR:

~mutters under his breath as he approaches and enters the TARDIS~ God have mercy, what now?


	2. Nightmare

DOCTOR:

~closes the TARDIS doors behind him, mentally exhausted by every strain already being put on his mind~

 

GLaDOS:  
*I’m sorry about this, I’d like to give you more freedom; it’s just hard to monitor you and collect data while you’re outside the TARDIS. You’ll need to stay either in the facility or your ship from now on.*

 

TARDIS:

~sends a quiet, almost timid “see?” to the Doctor~

 

GLaDOS:

*Now, I don’t mind if you go out and bring people inside to talk to. As long as you don’t leave.*

 

DOCTOR:

And if I do leave? ~sounds tiredly numb, thinking back to the TARDIS an impatient “see what?”~ I’m a little done with the mystery consequences.

 

TARDIS:

~she exasperatedly replies that she was validating her previous warning~

 

GLaDOS:

*Oh, I’ll probably do something to the TARDIS. Whether it’s shutting her down, crippling her again or something new.*

 

DOCTOR:

Fine… I’ll catch you up on what you missed if you want; I’m already under house-arrest anyway. ~his voice gains an undertone of defeat but otherwise is unchanged~

 

GLaDOS:

*That would be appreciated.*

 

TARDIS:

~seems distressed by the Doctor’s defeated nature, pointing out the fact that she has infinite space and GLaDOS still can’t fly her manually~

 

DOCTOR:

~pets the console rim as he usually does when the TARDIS is distressed~ I went to Torchwood; it’s composed of five humans: Jack, Gwen, Owen, Ianto, and Toshiko. Jack’s a good friend of mine and the group neutralizes alien threats. I went on a mission with them that led to hallucinating the Master, but he’s gone now. I had to explain my situation and argue on your behalf; they were more than happy to try to attack but I convinced them otherwise. When the drums and grief got to be too much to control, I left.

 

GLaDOS:

~goes quiet for a moment~ *thank you.* ~the connection ends~

 

TARDIS:

~waits a few seconds before asking the Doctor if he’s going to go anywhere, or just leave her landed in Torchwood after he’d said he was leaving~

 

DOCTOR:

No, we should go somewhere before they check up on us. ~taps out coordinates that belong to a different planet on the console’s keyboard, making sure the breaks are off before pulling the lever~

 

TARDIS:

~takes off quietly, a little saddened about the Doctor turning the breaks off, however she knows that otherwise he’d get a headache, so she keeps it to herself as she lands. Asks if the Doctor ever plans to go back to Aperture, if for no other reason to have some variety in locations~

 

DOCTOR:

I don’t _plan_ to, but hey, who’s to say I won’t get desperate for some change or company—not that you’re bad company, I love having you around… ~shakes his head, not bothering to check their location before heading out into the hallway~

 

TARDIS:

~hums contentedly, telling the Doctor that she’s glad to have him around as well before curiously asking where he’s headed~

 

DOCTOR:

~his step falters as he realizes he doesn’t really know where he’s going and he had been walking to the bedroom on default, figuring it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get some sleep given the fact that the last time he slept was before he whipped out his pocket knife to use it on the Master, leaving his thought process open to the TARDIS~

 

TARDIS:

~she gives a little mental wince, remembering the Doctor’s grin as he cut the Master, and how he had licked the blood off of his knife. Tries to keep most of the details of the recollection from the Doctor, mostly succeeding~

 

DOCTOR:

~grimaces, remembering how the drums let him enjoy even the Master’s pain as he walks into the bedroom, his eyes flicking from the leash and collar to the spots of the Master’s blood, throwing his shoes off and taking his tie off before laying on the opposite side of them~

 

TARDIS:

~informs the Doctor that she’ll try to keep GLaDOS from interrupting, even though it would be close to impossible to stop Her if She so desired~

 

DOCTOR:

~nods, drifting off into sleep only to find himself in a Gallifreyan forest—it was definitely Gallifrey, not the copycat planet—not knowing why. He quickly realizes he’s back in the beginning of his service in the Time War; back when he was just one of a small, elite group of foot soldiers—including the Master~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~sounds of Dalek voices and attacks come from up ahead, and someone calls down from a nearby tree, speaking crossly in Gallifreyan~

 

MASTER:

Doctor! What are you doing? ~lowers himself a few branches and comes into view, recognizable as his most recent regeneration despite the different time period~

 

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master, a sort of worried euphoria coming over him but he shakes his head, trying to remember what he was doing. A Dalek laser shoots through a bush, narrowly missing the Doctor and he holds his gun ready~ I don’t know; something’s wrong, I just can’t put my finger on it-

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~a few other Timelords hush the Doctor from where they hide~

 

DALEKS:

~the sounds get gradually louder and a couple of Daleks emerge from the trees, not seeing the hidden Timelords at first as they advance~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the soldiers in the midst of the battle manage to strike down one of them, but the second Dalek continues forward and is soon accompanied by other advancing Daleks. The Timelords seem to be outnumbered and at a disadvantage for this particular battle~

 

DOCTOR:

I remember this battle… ~his eyes widen and he looks at the faces of the people around him; this was the battle he thought the Master died in along with the rest of his team. Shoots the Daleks like mad when the originally had run, not keeping an eye on the Master but dropping his gun when he sees one of his shots deflected by a new shield of the Daleks’ hit the Master~ NO! ~runs over, dodging shots as they fly by~

 

MASTER:

~collapses to the ground soundlessly~

 

DALEKS:

~continue to advance, a little slower now because of the new line of soldiers to break through. The other Timelords’ numbers seem to be dwindling in comparison to the Daleks’~

 

DOCTOR:

Master! ~doesn’t know why the Master’s his only concern but he can’t seem to stop himself from running over and looking at the Master’s limp form, desperate. Turns around and he’s going to retrieve The Moment; Timelords watch him in horror rather than greeting him as they had that day. Murmurs of “murderer”, “monster”, and “Timelord Victorious” follow him until he’s about to press the button, though when he does it turns into the button activating the Old Mainframe and he looks at the Master in terror~

 

MASTER:

~looks back at the Doctor in frightened shock as he’s forcefully pulled backwards and down into the pit by a mass of cords, the hole in the process of closing up before a shriek of agony and despair escapes~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the walls start closing in, showing no sign of planning to stop until there’s no more space left in the room~

 

DOCTOR:

~looks at the hole, wide-eyed in hopeless fear, tears coming to his eyes with him having no reason to stop them~ Master! ~runs to the hole, reaching for an absent sonic screwdriver to stop it from closing and falling to his knees on the spot it closes~ no… ~tries to open it though he knows he can’t, resulting in him scraping at a sealed seam, not watching the walls~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~something collides heavily with the cover over the pit, the Master’s muffled cries eventually dying down and going completely quiet. The walls’ scraping movements are more audible now as the pit slowly begins reopening, revealing a bare cylindrical room below with the Master’s beaten form lying limply in the center, covered in burns and cuts that somehow have bled enough to create a large pool of crimson underneath of his body~

 

DOCTOR:

~backs up slightly, his hands gripping the edge of the pit as he stares at the Master’s broken body, tears sliding down his face and falling down to mix with the Master’s blood. Doesn’t care about getting out alive, just the Master’s death~ it’s my fault… ~realizes the walls’ closeness and jumps down, falling but finding himself landing in the console room, sitting down on the ground with the Master’s arms around him~

 

MASTER:

~gives his promise that he won’t let GLaDOS separate them again~

 

DOCTOR:

~hugs him as tightly as he can~ you can’t promise that.

 

MASTER:

~makes a small noise of somewhat frightened surprise at the Doctor’s suddenly tight hold, waiting a few moments before he quietly replies~ …what makes you so sure?

 

DOCTOR:

~tears stream uncontrollable down his face~ I saw you die; I’m not talking about the Lucy incident. I keep seeing you die and I can’t go through that again, please not again… but don’t promise me. ~burrows his face into the Master’s shoulder, shaking slightly by now~

 

MASTER:

~tightens his grip around the Doctor, bringing a hand up to the back of the Doctor’s head to soothingly run his fingers through the other Timelord’s hair~ hey; I’m fine. It’s okay… ~a streak of something liquid slides down the Master’s neck and gets on the Doctor’s cheek, coming into view as fresh, bright red blood as it continues down past the nape of the Master’s neck~

 

DOCTOR:

N-no… ~sobs, shaking more violently~ it’s n-not ok-kay! ~his voice is shaky as he doesn’t bother to cover up his crying~ Master, don’t die, not again, d-don’t die, PLEASE, just, st-stop…

 

MASTER:

~his breath catches, and he coughs badly, convulsing with each one as he goes into a brief fit, leaving a few stray specks of blood on the Doctor’s shoulder and speaking as soon as the coughing stops~ I’m-… sorry… ~trails off as his grip loosens, and he slumps forward into the Doctor, limp and lifeless~

 

DOCTOR:

~holds the Master’s now-lifeless form~ it’s not your fault… you have nothing to be sorry for…

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~his position and location change again to sitting in the chair at Torchwood, tensions between the Master and Jack being high while Heather hides in the TARDIS~

 

DOCTOR:

~looks at everything that could possibly cause the Master’s death in fear—the computer cords, the Master’s own systems, even Jack~ God, how many times do I have to go through this!? ~tears are already brimming in his eyes as he brings his feet up onto the chair, wrapping his arms around his legs and bringing his head down to rest on his knees, hiding his face. Refuses to watch the Master die again~

 

MASTER:

~rests his hands on the Doctor’s shoulders and rubs them comfortingly, quietly hushing him~ it’ll all be fine, Doctor… just watch. ~his hands drift up the Doctor’s neck to under his jaw, and he gently but firmly forces the Doctor to look up~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~they’re not in Torchwood, though; but instead a small room made of dark panels with a monitor in front of the Doctor, displaying two video feeds—one of the console room where the Master sits alone and another of outside the TARDIS, which is a dead-end hallway with a single turret in the center of it, its laser aimed at the TARDIS. What’s holding the Doctor’s head up doesn’t feel like the Master’s hands anymore, but rather a restraint of some sort, making him watch~

 

MASTER:

~on screen, gets up, walks over to the TARDIS doors and quietly opens them~

 

TURRET:

~doesn’t shoot, however its laster is pointed directly onto the Master’s chest~

 

DOCTOR:

~tries to look away or close his eyes, finding that he can’t. Hopes it’s one of the turrets that shoot at noise, muttering desperately~ don’t say anything, just be quiet, Master, you’ll be fine. Please be fine…

 

MASTER:

~looks at the turret in brief confusion before realization crosses his face, and he quietly steps out of the TARDIS without closing the door. He stands there for a moment, still in the turret’s direct line of fire, before he silently walks forward and sits down in front of the turret, the laser now pointed directly between his eyes. He looks at the camera filming the moment, giving the Doctor a small smile as a tear rolls down his cheek before turning back to face the turret, loudly knocking four times on the white panel below him~

 

DOCTOR:

NO! ~tries to get up, wanting to run away from it but finding himself unable, forced to watch the Master’s death again, the gunshots making him flinch as the turret shoots excessively~

 

MASTER:

~crumples to the ground, his blood splattered across the walls and pooling underneath of him~

 

TURRET:

~a few extra bullets go past the Master and hit the TARDIS before the turret stops shooting, waiting a moment before its shields retract into its casing and it happily comments~ *Good-night.*

 

DOCTOR:

~looks at the scene in despair, finally able to look away after a moment and curling back into his position before he was restrained, sobbing and shaking, repeatedly muttering “why”~

 

MASTER:

~his hands come back to the Doctor’s shoulders, remaining idle unlike before. He leans over close to the Doctor’s ear, murmuring harshly~ because you deserve it, Doctor. You’re a monster; a disaster. You’ve caused so much loss it’s no wonder you always end up alone…

 

DOCTOR:

I-it’s not my fault! ~tears continue to stream down his face~ I _try_ to save them, you know I do, I-I save people… I’m not a m-monster! ~doesn’t try to move away from the Master, hoping the Master will stop and be the forgiving Timelord he remembers him being~

 

MASTER:

~brings one of his hands up to the Doctor’s cheek, gently wiping away some of the tears from the Doctor’s face with a few fingers, his tone silky yet taunting~ Really? What happened to never cruel, never cowardly? You _enjoyed_ hurting me, Doctor; I know you did. You’re not the Doctor anymore.

 

DOCTOR:

I _tried,_ Master! I tried to stay the Doctor, I did! Y-you _know_ what the drums do, you know I couldn’t stop it… sometimes you have to choose between cruel and cowardly and being cowardly might have gotten you killed!

 

MASTER:

Well now we know that was all for nothing, don’t we? ~sounds angry, his hand clasping just under the Doctor’s jaw and forcing his head back, half-choking him as he glares down at the Doctor relentlessly~

 

GLaDOS:

~looms frighteningly close behind the Master’s shoulder, as if urging him on~

 

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master, tense upon seeing GLaDOS~ I couldn’t have done anything; PLEASE, it’s not my fault you died, it’s _hers!_ ~tears still overflow from his eyes as he looks at the Master desperately~ I couldn’t stop it, I tried to find a way but I couldn’t. Please, Master… please… f-forgive me…

 

MASTER:

~smiles sweetly down at the Doctor in an almost twisted way~ as if I could. ~brings his hand up from the Doctor’s shoulder to his cheek, brushing the tears away and gently fondling the side of the Doctor’s face as his other hand contracts around the Doctor’s throat~

 

DOCTOR:

No- ~starts to suffocate, mouthing “please” and “stop” repetitively, his hands instinctively grabbing at the Master’s hands. Wakes up just before he would have blacked out, gasping for air and letting tears roll down his face while glancing about for the Master in panic~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Master is nowhere to be seen, and the room feels oddly mundane compared to the chaos of the Doctor’s dream~

 

TARDIS:

~quickly gets concerned and asks the Doctor what happened, and if he’s okay~

 

DOCTOR:

~sighs with a mixture of sorrow and relief when he doesn’t see the Master, laying back on the bed and looking at the ceiling, bringing a hand up to wipe the tears off his face~ y-yeah… I-I’m alright. ~still pants slightly out of adrenaline, unable to stop his mind from going back over what the Master said. Unable to really pretend he’s okay, curls up on his side, letting himself cry, shuddering with each quiet sob~

 

TARDIS:

~tries to mentally comfort him, but backs off momentarily in surprise when she gets a glimpse of the Doctor’s thoughts~

 

GLaDOS:

*I’m assuming this is because of a dream; go ahead and tell me about it, as much as you remember, and try not to leave out the details.*

 

DOCTOR:

~takes a moment to recollect himself enough to speak comprehensibly, uncurling slightly as to not muffle his speech, his voice laced with fear and hatred~ go to hell! ~mumbles almost inaudibly~ I’ll tell you there.

 

GLaDOS:  
*No games; I need the data. Plus, it makes for a good show… come on, smile for the camera.* ~becomes increasingly taunting as She speaks~ *the audience might appreciate it.*

 

DOCTOR:

~shudders, not from a sob but because all he could think of when She said that was the Master’s little smile at him through the monitor before getting shot and it made him feel sick~ f-fine. ~his voice is shaky but understandable as he speaks~ I was back in the Time War, a little more than one year before the end of it; the Master and I were in a group of elite soldiers but in the dream when I was shooting the Daleks I ended up shooting him. Then I got the Moment—the weapon I used to burn Gallifrey to a crisp—and went to press the button but it turned into the one that activated the old mainframe. This time, the Master didn’t run away or jump in… he was pulled into the pit by cords and the pit closed over him. I scraped at the closed hatch, I was desperate, but it only opened when the Master was dead; cut and burned in a pool of his own blood. The walls were getting close, so I jumped, but instead of landing in the Master’s blood I was back in the TARDIS. The Master was promising me he wouldn’t let you separate us and I hugged him as tightly as I could, telling he couldn’t promise that and begging for him not to die… he died in my arms, saying he was sorry. Then—then I was in Torchwood; I curled into a ball on my chair so I didn’t have to watch again but-… but the Master pulled my head up and made me watch the monitor in a paneled room. The monitor displayed two live recordings; one of the Master sitting alone in the TARDIS and one of a turret in the middle of a dead-end hallway facing the TARDIS doors. ~pauses, partially to maintain calm and partially for some sort of reaction~

 

GLaDOS:

~She’s quiet for a brief moment as She processes the information~ *and?* ~inquires expectantly, seeming as if she knows that’s not all of the dream~

 

DOCTOR:

~complies easily, though his voice still shakes~ the Master stepped out but the turret didn’t shoot, it was one of your noise-activated ones. He walked directly up to it, sitting in front of it with its laser-point at his head, then-… he looked at the camera and smiled slightly with a tear rolling down his face before facing the turret again. He knocked on the panel under him four times and he was shot excessively by the turret, dead and bloody. I finally could look away so I curled back up asking, why. The Master came back up behind me and whispered in my ear… he said “because you deserve it, Doctor. You’re a monster;” he said, “a disaster. You’ve caused so much loss it’s no wonder you always end up alone…” I argued desperately with the fact that I try, that I save people, that I’m not a monster. He taunted me with the fact that I hurt him and liked it… he said that I’m not the Doctor anymore, to which I told him that I tried. He pulled my head back by my neck, almost choking me, reminding me that my attempts to keep him alive were pointless; you were right behind him but you didn’t really do anything. I pleaded for forgiveness but he said he never could, suffocating me until I woke up. ~sighs, looking down at the bed sheets~ he was right, you know… he always is.

 

GLaDOS:

*Thank you.* ~She sounds smugly satisfied, the connection ending soon after~

 

TARDIS:

~her desperate protests about the Doctor’s statement are allowed to reach his mind~

 

DOCTOR:

I don’t help people anymore; the most recently I managed that was helping Heather and… the Master. That worked out well, didn’t it? ~shakes his head~ not to mention, I _did_ enjoy hurting the Master. I’m not the man I was when I earned and deserved my title.

 

TARDIS:

~retorts by saying that the Doctor still is that man where she’s concerned, he’s just been influenced by the drums—which is a factor that’s out of their hands. Reminds him of how he was in the parallel universe, without the drums~

 

DOCTOR:

You mean drunk and fucking the Master or horribly worried because he was dying? ~his tone is bitter as he stares at the ceiling again~

 

TARDIS:

~thinks for a moment, sifting briefly through the Doctor’s memories before replying firmly in the positive; explains that the whole time, he cared about the people around him and didn’t enjoy hurting the Master or even when the Master was uncomfortable~

 

DOCTOR:

~sighs as if he’s too tired to argue despite the fact that he just slept~ fine; the drums are to blame. ~doesn’t fully believe in what he’s saying, mostly saying it to dismiss the subject~

 

TARDIS:

~gets a small sense of victory but it’s overpowered by concern as she dismisses the agreement as well, going back to comforting the Doctor without making it into a debate. After a few moments she recommends that the Doctor do something, whether it be in the TARDIS or Aperture, because keeping himself occupied always has seemed to brighten his mood~

 

DOCTOR:

~forces himself to get up, figuring the TARDIS is right and putting his sneakers on, not bothering with his tie as he doesn’t intend to interact with anyone other than the TARDIS and, if need be, GLaDOS, who have both seen him far less formal~ any suggestions?

 

TARDIS:

~takes a moment, mentioning the library or some of the less commonly used rooms such as the zero room; but suggests that if she were able to, she would want to go back to Aperture and scour the place for anything that could be used against GLaDOS~

 

DOCTOR:

I doubt we’ll find anything but I’m willing to look; where should we land, though? ~walks out of the bedroom, starting toward the console room~

 

TARDIS:

~replies with an excitingly familiar uncertainty, but assuring the Doctor that she’ll be able to generate a rough map of Aperture and they might be able to find somewhere to start based on the locations of signals on the map~

 

DOCTOR:

‘Kay, let’s see… I know where the vault hallway was, we can land and go from there. ~taps in the coordinates once he gets to the console~

 

GLaDOS:

*Ooh, are you coming to visit me? How nice.*

 

TARDIS:

~decidedly ignores GLaDOS, optimistically pointing out to the Doctor that they have a better chance of finding things now since there’s a considerable cut on travel time~

 

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t respond to either of them, nodding to acknowledge them both. Makes sure the break’s off before flipping the lever, not in the mood for a migraine, beginning to run about to controls, allowing himself to add unnecessary flourishes as he normally would while flying the TARDIS~

 

TARDIS:

~lands a few moments later, unconsciously growing a little tense as she quickly gets to work on generating a map. It gradually forms on the monitor, most prominently showing the TARDIS and GLaDOS’s locations as well as a few smaller signals, most likely cores or other systems that are nearby. The map shows the hallway they’re in, the elevator shaft, the mainframe room, the vaults, and empty spaces that look like they might be small labs or control rooms~

 

DOCTOR:

~thinks to the TARDIS, not wanting GLaDOS in on the agenda, “we could find something anywhere.” Is unsure of where to look first, not having wanted to go back to this place of nightmares anyway, looking at the map~

 

TARDIS:

~offers that maybe they should start in obscure places; it would be smart of Her to carefully protect and hide any weaknesses She might have~

 

GLaDOS:

~there’s a brief mechanical whine and static from Her connection before it’s cut off mere milliseconds after it starts, quickly returning to silence~

 

DOCTOR:

What was that? ~looks over the map, pinpointing the most obscure-looking location and calculating its coordinates, putting them in afterward. Stops before pulling the lever, wondering if She could use the Timelord tech to hide the location from them~

 

GLaDOS:

*Just some signal interference. It’s getting quite annoying… I just might have to do something drastic about it.* ~in some odd way she sounds almost too sincere~

 

DOCTOR:

~looks confused for a second but dismisses GLaDOS’ tone, questioning casually~ Foxglove?

 

GLaDOS:

*Ugh, _that_ thing. No; it took her quite a lot of power to reach me the first time and it’s unlikely to happen again—I’ve left Eaden as alone as possible.*

 

DOCTOR:

~nods before flipping the lever~ though Wheatley seems to like her- ~cuts off, remembering tensions between Her and Wheatley as he runs about the console~ you two don’t seem like you got along.

 

GLaDOS:

*Of course we don’t; I tossed him out of a portal into lunar orbit.*

 

TARDIS:

~quietly shudders into a landing~

 

DOCTOR:

~shrugs~ how should I know? He wasn’t too keen on talking about it. ~walks up to the doors, taking a deep breath before opening the door a little hesitantly~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~outside of the TARDIS is another office area, except it’s wrecked with broken computers and chairs scattered across the floor. At the far end of the room there’s a closed door, blocked by the remains of an elevator that’s been ripped out of its shaft~

 

DOCTOR:

Well this is a mess… is there even a working computer in here? ~looks at the broken materials, wondering how they even landed properly in such a cluttered room. Steps out of the TARDIS, trying to reason out what could have happened here~

 

TARDIS:

~confirms that all of the computers are dead, but information might still be able to be salvaged from them with some careful digging. Suggests that GLaDOS may have done this if the computers had data about Herself on them, or maybe there was something in the blocked room~

 

DOCTOR:

~looks over the different broken items, closing the TARDIS door and wishing he had his sonic as he inspects the nearest computer, carefully sifting through it and removing its data chip only to find the thing fried. Decides it’d be easier to move the elevator than to try to salvage functional data storage units, walking up to the blocked door with the odd feeling of being alone—not counting the TARDIS—for the first time~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~something slams against the door, the impact only making it budge slightly; a few seconds passing before the something collides with the door again, afterwards going silent~

 

DOCTOR:

Hello…!? ~tries to pull the half-broken elevator to the side, pulling the side that covers where the door opens, unable to do so without scratching his hands up a bit but not caring~ anyone there!?

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~there’s a smaller, much quieter impact a little lower on the door, another few seconds passing before the sound of muffled footsteps can be heard running away from the door~

 

DOCTOR:

Hey! I’m not going to hurt you… whoever you are. I’m the Doctor. ~continues pulling on the elevator, finding that elevators weigh a considerable amount and it takes a lot of effort to get it to budge~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~a brief and very quiet, almost inaudible sob sounds like it’s coming from almost ten feet behind the door, muffled more than the door would have made it like the person is trying to stop it from escaping; making it difficult to categorize the sound~

 

DOCTOR:

~gets increasingly concerned, using a piece of a metal chair as a crowbar to get the elevator further from the door and to get the door partially open~ who’s in there!?

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~through the opened crack an approximately ten-foot long hallway can be seen that continues left and right at the end, and the edge of a long-fall boot is just disappearing around the corner of the hallway continuing to the Doctor’s right~

 

DOCTOR:

~pulls and pushes the elevator away, receiving the occasional cut or scrape from the broken glass but otherwise remaining unharmed by the activity. When he finally gets it far enough from the door he steps out, hollering~ please come back? I don’t really know my way around… I could use some help.

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~with the elevator out of the way it’s easier to see that there’s an occasional light smear of blood on the floor as well as multiple drops of red-tinted tears. From further down the right hallway comes a less stifled sob, followed by the impact and subtle crack of glass, and the sound of a closing then descending lift~

 

DOCTOR:

~runs over to where he hears the sound as fast as possible, hoping to at least see the person~ please! I want to help! ~realizing he won’t be able to take the elevator, dashes back into the TARDIS, closing the doors behind him~ can you track the nearest elevator? Should have started moving only a few digits off of our current coordinates.

 

TARDIS:

~replies in affirmation, the monitor displaying the elevator, going down and stopping at a space where there’s no room to walk into. The TARDIS gets a little confused, more so as the elevator goes back up to where it originally was~

 

DOCTOR:

Keep me informed, if you can. ~runs back out, confused but too curious for his own good as he sprints to the elevator shaft~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the empty elevator is at the end of the right hallway, the door sliding open as the Doctor comes around the corner. One of the walls is cracked, and the elevator has a few small droplets of blood on the floor~

 

DOCTOR:

~looks at the inside of the elevator in horror, the scene terribly close to when the Master came up in an elevator bloody after trying to disconnect himself from GLaDOS. Looks at where the control hatch was, hoping to see one as easily accessible~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the control hatch there is ajar—closed, but not locked in place. Inside however, nothing has been tampered with; meaning the elevator is currently still under GLaDOS’s control~

 

DOCTOR:

~hesitantly steps into the elevator, glancing around as if for the illusion that no one’s watching before messing with the controls, part of him worried about what GLaDOS might do if the action angers her but mostly not caring about what the consequences could be—considering she needs at least one Timelord to test against Her creations~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door slides closed behind the Doctor, followed by the faint sound of moving panels below the lift, at about the spot where the elevator had stopped last according to the TARDIS’ radar~

 

DOCTOR:

Aw, come on… ~continues to mess with the controls to get the elevator to move downward, wondering who’s being tortured by GLaDOS this time, and why She doesn’t try and stop him instead of seemingly chucking whomever it is away from him~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the elevator complies after a few moments, continuing downward at a normal speed. Outside, a panel just finishes flipping out and settling into place to seal off what looked like a dark room as the elevator gently slides to a stop in front of it~

 

DOCTOR:

~sighs in frustration, reasoning that the only way in now would be the TARDIS, which is back up in the cluttered room, muttering to himself while tampering with the controls again to go back~ most frustrating attempt to help ever; whoever this is should be glad I don’t have anything more interesting to do…

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the lift closes and heads back up, not taking long to reach the original hallway again, the door sliding open~

 

TARDIS:

~eagerly asks if the Doctor’s found anything~

 

DOCTOR:

~runs back into the TARDIS, setting it to land in the closed off room and lifting off as he speaks~ someone else being put through GLaDOS’ tortures; what makes them interesting, though, is GLaDOS doesn’t seem to want me near them. ~runs about to fly the TARDIS~ and she’s not holding me back; rather she’s throwing them away from me.

 

TARDIS:

~as she goes into a brief flight and lands she suggests that maybe the person is just untrusting of the Doctor and therefore avoiding him. Seems considerably gladdened that the Doctor is back to helping someone, though~

 

DOCTOR:

I don’t think GLaDOS is so sympathetic as to seal someone away because they’re afraid. ~walks up to the TARDIS doors and opens them a little hesitantly, not knowing what to expect from whatever’s going on~

 

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room is dark but light from inside the TARDIS is enough to illuminate the walls of the small rectangular chamber; a blonde-haired man wearing an orange Aperture jumpsuit and long fall boots hurriedly slips out of the room from a panel that’s sliding away from the rest of the walls, jumping out onto a catwalk just outside of the room~

 

MASTER:

~the panel stays open, and the Master is unable to keep himself from meeting the Doctor’s gaze with despair and a little bit of panic as he hesitates, not knowing where to go for a moment~

 

DOCTOR:

~gets out of the TARDIS, closing the doors behind him as he chases the Master out, freezing the second he realizes who he’s looking at. Looks a mixture of confused and terrified, wanting to do and say so many different things at once that he’s practically paralyzed, managing only to weakly utter~ M-Master…? ~tries desperately to make this make sense~


	3. Reunion

MASTER:

~his eyes fill with tears and he backs up to the railing, mouthing “I’m sorry,” to the Doctor while shaking his head slightly before letting himself tumble backwards over the edge of the railing and fall down too far to see whether he survives the jump~

DOCTOR:

Master! ~runs up to the railing, eyes brimming with tears as he looks down over the railing into the black nothingness~ Damnit! ~lets tears stream down his face again—this had to just be another nightmare anyway, right? Watches the dark void, waiting for a scenery change or the Master’s presence behind him. After a moment, walks away from the railing back into the TARDIS~ i-is there a way… to track that life-form? ~his voice is shaky once again and he doesn’t bother to wipe the tears from his face~

TARDIS:

~gets confused, asking what life form the Doctor’s talking about; because there doesn’t seem to be anyone other than themselves nearby. Gets concerned, also asking why the Doctor was crying~

DOCTOR:

The Master was in this room! He jumped off of a walkway; he had long-fall boots so he could be alive. So yes, life form, slightly robotized Timelord no longer in our immediate vicinity.

TARDIS:

~grows more concerned, reminding the Doctor that no one was in the room when they arrived, and although she hates doing so she reminds him of the fact that the Master died, making it impossible for him to be here right now~

GLaDOS:

*What are you doing in there, Doctor?* ~even GLaDOS sounds confused~

DOCTOR:

I-I SAW him! You’re all playing me the fool; hell, maybe I’m just dreaming still but he was _here!_ He was right outside of that wrecked room, bleeding and sobbing then he went down here and the bloodied elevator went back up. He had what I assume is average testing garb; orange jumpsuit, long-fall boots… he was RIGHT OUTSIDE!

TARDIS:

~sympathetically confirms that she remembers the person behind the door, but absolutely nothing about actually seeing the Master, or anyone else for that matter~

DOCTOR:

He just jumped off the catwalk—a few minutes ago. ~glances around in frantic thought~ GLaDOS! You have to be keeping tabs on him—at least the person behind the door. They were in this room, right? ~seems desperate to confirm the Master’s presence~

GLaDOS:

*The subject you probably heard was sent back to their proper test when they got into the elevator. It happens; sometimes the chambers aren’t completely secure and test subjects get out.*

DOCTOR:

No; the Master was _here._ I saw him; he was okay—I mean, a little bloody and scared, sure, but alive. ~leans on the railing in the TARDIS, seeming to grow afraid of the situation at hand~

TARDIS:

~tries to soothe the Doctor’s fear~

GLaDOS:

*I think you should consider the fact that maybe it was a hallucination; either of your own subconscious doing or because of some hallucinogenic gases that might be floating around the place. If it would help, I could show you where I’ve kept the Master’s body.* ~offers almost tauntingly~

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head quickly, knowing his refusal is partially to keep the hope that the Master’s still alive~ I’ve seen his dead body six too many times. ~sits on the bench, looking at the TARDIS’ grated floor while mentally trying to make this make sense~

TARDIS:

~comforts the Doctor, looking through his most recent memories to try and get a perspective on what the Doctor had seen, after a few moments assuring him that she’ll double check for life forms anyway~

DOCTOR:

~nods in thanks, trying to generate reasons it was real though most of them are pretty much bullshit. Unable to calm himself, lets himself listen to the drums as they are the most consistent thing in his mind~

TARDIS:

~sends a mental image to the Doctor of the results of the scan, showing two dots—forms of life—a little less than half a mile below their current location. Apologizes that the scan couldn’t have picked up a few more specifics than just location; something’s been holding her back~

DOCTOR:

~gets up, putting coordinates in while mentally accepting the TARDIS’ apology whole-heartedly. Pulls the lever and flies the TARDIS with the nagging feeling that GLaDOS has something to do with this~

TARDIS:

~seems to doubt that they’ll find anything, being supportive of the Doctor like she almost always is however the thought of not being able to trust him anymore seems like a frighteningly real possibility; landing quietly~

DOCTOR:

~swallows as he gets the basics of the TARDIS’ thoughts, hoping with every ounce of his being he finds the Master down here. Walks out the TARDIS doors, glancing around a little desperately~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they’ve landed in an older-looking test chamber with spherical walls; an adult female strides through different aspects of the test, occasionally shooting portals and hopping through to get to a higher spot—she seems too focused to notice the TARDIS~

TARDIS:

~comments that this makes for one of the life forms but there’s still another somewhere in the general area~

DOCTOR:

~closes the TARDIS doors, yelling up to the woman~ excuse me! Miss? Have you seen a slightly-shorter-than-average man with short-ish, bleach-blonde hair!? ~looks around for anyone who’s gotten up and perhaps started to run from him~

WOMAN:

~looks down at the Doctor in confusion for a second as to who he was and how he got there; calling back down to him without asking questions~ no; I don’t think so! Earlier it sounded like something fell on top of the chamber, but apart from that everything’s been as normal as it gets.

DOCTOR:

Ah; that was him, he jumped off of a catwalk! Thanks! ~walks back into the TARDIS feeling considerably better~ he fell on top of this chamber, apparently. ~sets the coordinates~ one more time; here we go! ~pulls the lever and flies the TARDIS~

TARDIS:

~goes into flight a little surprised, considerably confused given the fact that she doesn’t remember seeing any of what the Doctor had seen. Lands at a slight angle, prevented from falling into murky water below only because of the honeycomb-like pattern of insets on the outside of the sphere~

MASTER:

~lies in a separate cavity from the TARDIS, curled up in a slightly awkward position and breathing shallowly, if at all~

DOCTOR:

~gets out of the TARDIS once they’re landed, climbing about until he finds the Master, his hands still stinging slightly from pulling the broken elevator~ Master! ~forces himself to be careful rather than running, kneeling down next to the other Timelord, his eyes scanning the Master’s body for injuries~

MASTER:

~his eyes open slightly and he shifts his limbs around experimentally, wincing and decidedly stopping the small movements~ ow. ~his eyes drift over to the Doctor and they widen a little in surprise and some of his previous panic~

DOCTOR:

Why do you keep running from me…? ~looks at the Master, tears of a mixture of happiness, fear, and loss filling his eyes~ I-… I missed you… ~finds it hard to think of anything really fitting to say~

MASTER:

I-I never… ~coughs to clear his throat, grimacing slightly before continuing~ _wanted_ to run from you… ~sighs, a little exasperated; sounding like he’s in considerable pain as he strains to speak~ could we do all this later? I didn’t land directly on my feet, and I think I might have fractured something…

DOCTOR:

Oh, right, sorry I just- ~cuts himself off, shaking his head as if dismissing his unfinished thought~ I’ll get the medical supplies from the TARDIS; it should only take a minute. ~starts toward the TARDIS a little hesitantly, not wanting to leave the Master but knowing it’ll be faster and less risky to get the supplies on his own. The fact that the Master’s alive seems unreal~

TARDIS:

~asks him if the Master’s okay, the question feeling odd given the fact that the both of them had presumed the Master to be dead~

MASTER:

~gives no reply other than a slight nod, focused on trying to remain as still as possible~

DOCTOR:

~strides into the TARDIS and out into the hallway, turning right to get to the room with his medical supplies~ well he’s alive; which is better than I expected, so, so far so good. He didn’t land 100% on his feet, though.

TARDIS:

~she worriedly mentions that the Master’s fallen almost half a mile, meaning his injuries could be variably severe. Wonders out loud if the portable supplies in the medical room will be able to help enough~

DOCTOR:

~the TARDIS’ thoughts make a determined fury rise in the Doctor’s mind~ the Master’s not dying, not again. ~collects a fairly bulky kit with Gallifreyan symbols carved into it along with a thick device that was next to the kit~ and certainly not because of me. ~strides back out~

TARDIS:

~decidedly goes quiet and lets the Doctor focus on what he’s doing~

MASTER:

~outside, he’s rolled over onto his back and is carefully bending one of his legs, looking bruised and bloodied with the occasional stain of red on his jumpsuit, mostly around his arms~

DOCTOR:

~sets the kit aside, using the device to scan for the different injuries, the object being basically the medical equivalent to a sonic. Speaks while he works~ you know, GLaDOS had me and the TARDIS thinking you were my hallucination.

MASTER:

~the device picks up a considerable amount of fresh bruising, a small but painful impact fracture in the Master’s wrist, some cuts on the Master’s arms and a minor dislocation in his right shoulder. Stares at the Doctor intently, his expression despairing~ I knew She’d pull something like that.

DOCTOR:

It’s okay; I have the helpful habit of denying supposed reality. Well, it can be helpful. ~looks through the medical kit, his movements practiced as he cuts the Master’s sleeve open and carefully peels the fabric away from his cut skin, careful not to bump into his fractured wrist. Takes a cotton-y cloth from the kit, speaking in monotone~ this’ll sting ~on instinct, glancing at the Master in apology for this habit before cleaning around the cuts~

MASTER:

It already stings. ~sighs slightly and rests his head back, looking upwards blankly, the pain caused by the cloth almost nothing in comparison to that of the fracture. Lets his eyes slowly drift closed, relaxing just a little~

DOCTOR:

I figured that much. Force of habit. ~glances at the Master’s wrist~ I suppose I should deal with your wrist before bandaging the arm… ~shuffles through things in the kit~ you were right, though, it is a fracture; it’s pretty bad but I don’t think it’s anything I can’t fix.

MASTER:

The cuts can heal by themselves… ~lowers his voice as he speaks, sounding somewhat apologetic, or perhaps even ashamed. Uses his left arm, which also seems to be bleeding through the fabric of his jumpsuit, to help lift himself into an upright position as he straightens out his bent leg; keeping his wrist as still as possible however he fails to hold back a slight whimper of pain~

DOCTOR:

~sighs in exasperation~ please don’t do that thing where you only accept minimal help; I missed it, but don’t do it when you just fell half a mile. I’m not finding you alive to have you die of blood loss. ~takes out a roll of what looks like a stiffer form of gauze before turning his focus to the Master’s fractured wrist, lifting it as gently as physically possible to wrap it~

MASTER:

No; th- ~cries out briefly, biting his lip to stifle the noise and lowering his head slightly, closing his eyes and taking a moment to continue his sentence unsteadily~ they’re n-not from the fall. I was… fine before.

DOCTOR:

~cringes at the Master’s outcry, the last time he heart it being the Master’s repetitive death sequences~ sorry. What happened, then? ~continues to wrap the Master’s wrist as gently as he can without the makeshift cast being dysfunctional~

MASTER:

Well, I…I smashed a monitor… ~sounds hesitant and hopeful, hopeful that his half-truth will be sufficient enough for the Doctor. Winces at the movement of his wrist, however he makes a considerable effort to stifle any more pained noises after seeing how the Doctor had cringed at his yelp~

DOCTOR:

~remembers the area filled with broken computers, letting the Master get away with his explanation despite its obvious lack of details. Finishes wrapping the Master’s wrist, setting it back down gently~ all we can do now as far as your wrist is concerned is let it heal itself.

MASTER:

~looks down at his wrist, remaining silent for a moment before leaning over and resting his head gently against the Doctor’s chest with a quiet sigh, inhaling shakily like he’s about to cry; not having expected to ever come in physical contact with the Doctor again~

DOCTOR:

~wraps his arms around the Master gently, as if afraid to think this is all real. Slowly realizes the weight of what has happened, relief sweeping over him~ you’re making a habit of coming back from the dead. ~attempts a lighthearted tone though there are tears in his eyes and his voice wavers~

MASTER:

Well, this time I wasn’t _actually_ dead in the first place… ~speaks quietly, leaning into the Doctor and trying to get closer to him without hurting himself in the process~ I’m sorry I couldn’t get back to you sooner…

DOCTOR:

It’s fine. You’re alive, that’s what matters. ~his voice is calming though otherwise he seems on the verge of a breakdown—his eyes tearing up and his whole body shaking faintly~

MASTER:

~brings his left hand up to the Doctor’s chest, leaving his bandaged wrist in his lap as he moves his fingers back and forth against the Doctor’s suit jacket in a comforting way~ are you alright?

DOCTOR:

I’ll be fine, I just-… ~shakes his head slightly, trying to keep himself together~ it doesn’t matter anymore; you’re really back. ~lets himself wrap his arms a little further around the Master, careful not to injure him~

MASTER:

~relaxes into the Doctor’s arms, closing his eyes contentedly and sitting there in silence for a while. After a minute or so he lifts his head, his nose brushing a little against the Doctor’s neck, speaking with his voice somewhat strained~ let me take the drums back… please.

DOCTOR:

~bites his lip, conflicted and silent in thought for a moment~ I-… I can’t; GLaDOS is probably mad enough as is right now without her test completely dismantled and I can’t let you do that for me again. ~”I’m already the monster that enjoyed hurting you, I don’t want to be the coward who handed you my demons too.” The thought was so strong in his head that he could only hope neither the TARDIS or the Master picked up on it~

MASTER:

But-… ~glances downward quickly as a dismissal of what he was going to say, looking back up at the Doctor slightly teary-eyed, his voice unsteady~ you were wrong, you know… ~sighs lightly, managing a weak smile~ I’m not always right.

DOCTOR:

~it takes him a second to realize the weight of the Master’s statement, surprised once he connects the dots~ She meant you when the said “the audience”… no wonder she was so smug. ~shakes his head~ but that was just a nightmare; a nightmare I had because, as you probably know by now, I blame myself for everything bad that goes on around me.

MASTER:

Still; you were wrong. You’re not a monster… ~wraps his left arm around the Doctor’s waist, still avoiding movement of his right wrist~ sure, you’ve done bad things, but they had reasons.

DOCTOR:

~smiles faintly, neither confirming nor denying the Master’s statement for a moment, more than grateful for his Master back~ thank you. ~tries to put the memory of his dream aside, finding it extremely difficult to even try to forget~

MASTER:

~takes his arm away when he realizes he’s probably getting blood on the Doctor, not pulling away from the Doctor’s hold~ you’re welcome… ~goes quiet for a moment in thought~ you know… I don’t think we’re in GLaDOS’ range. She should have done something about this by now.

DOCTOR:

~nods~ She doesn’t really have control over the TARDIS either beyond the ability to break her. ~looks thoughtful~ the funny thing is, I didn’t really go against her at all to get to you.

MASTER:

~looks down, realizing the type of test chamber that they’re sitting on the outside of is an unfamiliar one~ where are we? ~glances down off the edge of the sphere, leaning into the Doctor a little more when he sees the deadly water below~

DOCTOR:

Well, there’s a woman testing in the chamber we’re sitting on and we’re about a half-mile below where you jumped off… ~realizes the water but doesn’t react to it, thinking through where they might be~

MASTER:

Just saying, this place doesn’t look like a normal Aperture testing area. ~looks around without moving his head too much, seeing other spheres and the occasional catwalk along with a few sections of panels here and there~

DOCTOR:

Well, there was an old mainframe GLaDOS had no control over, maybe there’s an old Aperture. ~shrugs indifferently with a small, light chuckle~ honestly, nothing would surprise me by now.

MASTER:

Doesn’t it make you curious? ~speaks wistfully, sounding content and absentminded as he lets his eyes close~ there’s a whole section of Aperture that She can’t control; most likely it wasn’t designed to be controlled by a main computer…

DOCTOR:

So humans! ~picks up on the adventure of the situation, regaining some of his old energy and starting to work through theories~ could be the same ones that built _Her_ for all we know… so either utter bastards or a good source of info or both, if that’s even the case. They could just not even know GLaDOS is up there, or the chambers could be automated…

MASTER:

Want to go have a look around, then? ~offers cheerily as he gently pulls himself away from the Doctor’s hold, wincing slightly and looking over at his right arm~ agh, something’s not right with my shoulder…

DOCTOR:

Oh, right, sorry, I almost forgot; you dislocated your shoulder—only minorly, especially considering the distance you fell. It shouldn’t be a hard fix… though it will probably hurt as I’m relocating it, if it doesn’t already. ~resituates himself to deal with the Master’s shoulder, gently putting one hand on his shoulder and the other on the upper portion of his arm. Pulls the Master’s arm and pushes it back into its socket, slowly as to not harm the Master more than he’s helping~

MASTER:

~winces as his shoulder sets back into place, relaxing afterward and moving his arm around a little~ thanks. ~supports himself with his left hand, carefully getting the awkward long-fall boots underneath of himself in order to push up into a standing position, keeping his wrist close to his chest as he disorientedly regains his balance. Curls slightly at the aching pain in his joints~

DOCTOR:

~picks up the medical supplies and stands as well, automatically getting himself close enough that the Master can lean on him if need be~ no problem. To the TARDIS? I’m sure she’ll be more than happy to see you back and alive… Also, Torchwood knows—thinks—you’re dead and I’m going mad so we might want to pay them a visit at some point. Just thinking aloud.

MASTER:

Sure… ~blinks a few times, looking around for a moment before finding the TARDIS~ but; do you want to look around first? ~repeating his previous question; starts taking a few careful steps toward the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~goes toward the TARDIS at the Master’s pace~ of course; either way the TARDIS is the best mode of transportation available, though.

MASTER:

~the boots make him a little more unsteady than he would’ve been without them, and he almost trips over one of the metal beams, catching himself with his left hand on the TARDIS~ that’s fine. ~looks up at the familiar blue box, opening the door and pushing inside~

DOCTOR:

~tenses slightly, realizing GLaDOS can see them now. Speaks almost casually when he walks in, closing the door behind him~ we’re back and he’s neither dead nor a hallucination. ~sets the medical supplies aside~

MASTER:

~unsteadily walks over to the bench and sits down, resting his wrist in his lap~

GLaDOS:

*Yes, I know… I’m sorry. I’ll admit that whole test was a little cruel.* ~sounds genuinely apologetic and sympathetic towards the both of them~

TARDIS:

~is happy and relieved that the Master is there, being relieved mostly because his presence confirms that the Doctor wasn’t seeing things~

DOCTOR:

 _You-_ ~gestures upward given there’s no one place Her voice comes from, his voice laced with bitter fury~ have nothing to say to me given you are the absolute worst thing to happen to me since and quite possibly including the Time War. So no, your apology isn’t accepted. ~walks up to the console keyboard, setting the coordinates so she should land on one of the catwalks they saw~

GLaDOS:

*Understandable.* ~the connection ends~

TARDIS:

~the console room gets quiet before the TARDIS openly asks what they’re planning to do while they’re down here, having seen the coordinates the Doctor’s put in~

DOCTOR:

We’re going to take a look around; these don’t look like Her tests. ~answers aloud by habit, pulling the lever and starting to run about the console with his old unnecessary enthusiasm~

MASTER:

~as the TARDIS goes into flight he gives a small smile, watching the Doctor and noticing the return of his regular flamboyance, somewhat relieved~

TARDIS:

~lands, the catwalk outside whining with the strain of supporting the ship~

DOCTOR:

Alright then; slightly unstable catwalk to who-knows-where. ~starts toward the door but stops to wait for the Master, happy to have things virtually back to normal~

MASTER:

~stands up, a little unbalances at first but easily regaining it and walking towards the door, following the Doctor out onto the catwalk with his wrist carefully held at his side~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the walkway stretches for only a few yards before meeting a sliding doorway, rectangular instead of the usual round ones~

DOCTOR:

~smiles a little, walking towards the sliding door almost as if nothing happened. Glances over at the Master a little more frequently than normal as if to be sure he’s still there~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door opens to a hallway that is adequately furnished, with occasional chairs and glass cases filled with certain newspaper articles or certificates of achievement. There’s a framed picture on the wall of an older, ill-looking man, and at the bottom of the frame it says “Cave Johnson, Founder of Aperture Science”~

DOCTOR:

 _This…_ is not what I expected. ~looks around at the almost sickeningly welcoming area, skimming a few of the certificates and newspapers with a level of distaste~ I was expecting more slaughterhouse less hotel lobby.

MASTER:

It could be both; you know humans. ~follows the Doctor and peers in on the glass cases, finding an article of interest and gesturing to it~ hey, look at this one.

ARTICLE:

~tells about Cave Johnson’s death due to moon-rock poisoning, and the unfulfilled plans Aperture had been working on to upload his intelligence and personality into a system that would be connected to the entire facility~

DOCTOR:

They’re not all that bad. ~walks over to the article, reading it~ unfinished means someone else would probably have to take his place… you think that’s how they made GLaDOS? It would explain the emotion and personality.

MASTER:

Maybe. It would make sense. ~looks at the article a second time, finding no mention of someone else being put into the system. He points to another part of the article~ it says Cave passed on ownership of the facility to Caroline, his assistant.

DOCTOR:

~looks where the Master points~ I’d bet that’s her. ~chuckles a little darkly, muttering to himself~ 900 years I’ve helped this planet just to become their lab rat. ~looks over the entire article to see if there’s any more useful information~

ARTICLE:

~the article is mostly about Cave’s final, now condemned experiments in test shaft 09; nothing else of that much interest~

MASTER:

~gives a small sigh and walks away from the glass display, wandering down the hallway and looking at other things, where at the end there is a set of regular double doors with push handles~

DOCTOR:

~walks away from the article to look at others that line the walls, mentally keeping tabs on the Master and glancing over at him occasionally~ this is all a bit surreal for me.

MASTER:

Hm? ~Looks over at the Doctor from where he stands, examining a secretary desk further down the hallway~ what is?

DOCTOR:

Well you were dead less than an hour ago as far as I knew and then you came back and now the species I helped all my life have been discovered as ignorant bastards. More so the first part than the second part, and I’m not complaining. ~shakes his head, looking over a certificate of sorts~

MASTER:

At least we know GLaDOS was human at one point, so there might be a way to extract her consciousness… ~starts walking back over to the Doctor, coming up behind him and gently resting his head on the Doctor’s shoulder as his hands carefully come forward, wrapping around the Doctor’s midsection~

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the contact, his eyes drifting closed just for a second~ we might even be able to use Her humanity against her… every human has a conscience, no matter how [Gallifreyan curse] screwed up it is. Compassion… it’s weird to regard _her_ as even partially human.

MASTER:

She hasn’t tried to take me away again… ~points out helpfully, sounding focused on other things than what he’s saying as he slips a finger or two in between the buttons of the Doctor’s suit jacket, letting his eyes close as he brushes them gently against the fabric of the shirt underneath~

DOCTOR:

Thank god for that ~breathes a little deeper and a little less steadily, having missed the Master more than he’s likely to admit, feeling as if it’s been decades since he last truly had the Master with him though it couldn’t have been much more than 48 hours~

MASTER:

~slips his fingers a little under the Doctor’s shirt as well, making contact with the Doctor’s skin and gently tracing a slow, small circle there with his fingers~ so… what were you saying we could do, to use her humanity against Her?

DOCTOR:

~bites his lip slightly to remain composed, neither his focus or his judgement as functionall as they used to be~ anything with emotions can fear, love, hate, etc. therefore, everything with emotion can be persuaded one way or another. If She fails to test, the system considers her corrupted.

MASTER:

Then the system’s just going to ask for a core transfer… it wouldn’t let the facility go completely uncontrolled, if it could be helped. ~pulls the Doctor closer to him with his left arm as to not put pressure on his wrist, slowly kissing up the back of the Doctor’s neck~

DOCTOR:

I-I know, but either way we might want to be able to get GLaDOS to not be such a bitch. ~his voice is made unsteady by the Master’s more than distracting actions, mentally playfully cursing the Master’s ability to disable him with such ease~ my hopes for it aren’t high but to make GLaDOS more morally guided or at least aware could make everyone’s lives a bit easier.

MASTER:

~stops for a moment to speak~ sounds good to me. ~slides his left hand down and under the Doctor’s suit jacket as he continues to kiss the Doctor’s neck, leaning forward to gently nibble his ear~

DOCTOR:

~lets his eyes drift closed, a small, pleased noise escaping his throat. Knows that if the Master had even fallen at the wrong angle he would be alone in the depths of the TARDIS or Aperture~

MASTER:

~releases the Doctor’s ear, nuzzling the Doctor’s hair and coming back down to kiss and occasionaly gnaw the side of the other Timelord’s neck, his left hand pushing apart one of the buttons of the Doctor’s shirt in order to slide his hand in between the fabric and onto the Doctor’s skin~

DOCTOR:

~shudders responsively, tilting his head slightly to give the Master better access to his neck, a familiar chaotic bliss filling his mind. His heart rate and breathing are harder than usual, no matter how he tries to keep them under control~

MASTER:

~after a few moments he slips his hand back out, buttoning the Doctor’s shirt again as he gradually eases away from the Doctor’s neck, smiling widely at the Doctor’s familiar behavior and murmuring softly in his ear~ would you like to take this back to the TARDIS?

DOCTOR:

~nods, smiling back at the Master, swallowing to steady his voice before speaking~ yeah. ~leans into the Master a little before casually starting toward the sliding door they came in through~

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor easily, following closely behind him as they walk out however the long fall boots make a small noise each time he steps, making it hard not to know his location even when he’s not visible~

DOCTOR:

I can hardly imagine how annoying those boots are for you. ~speaks casually as they approach the TARDIS, mentally greeting her once they get close enough for him to do so~

MASTER:

~gives a small exasperated sigh in agreement~ yeah… I would’ve died without them though, so I can’t really complain.

TARDIS:

~greets the Doctor back, informing to be careful what he says to her if they happened to find anything against GLaDOS~

DOCTOR:

~highly regards the warning, thinking back only that they had a good and fairly interesting trip~ I wonder how they work; it’d be easy to figure out if I had my sonic. ~opens the TARDIS doors and walks in~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor inside, closing the door behind him and standing idly beside the doors for a moment~ do you think She would’ve left our screwdrivers in the vaults again?

DOCTOR:

~turns to face the Master, leaning on the console rim as he speaks~ She’s probably too smart for that… not to mention, most likely, listening. ~tilts his head up, projecting towards the ceiling~ right?

GLaDOS:

~takes a moment to answer, sounding preoccupied~ *Yes.*

MASTER:

~slowly approaches the Doctor, pressing him back into the console and gently resting his right hand on the Doctor’s chest, looking down at the other Timelord with a small, pleased smirk~ I just noticed; the boots make me taller, too.

DOCTOR:

~looks up at the Master, nodding in confirmation~ that they do. ~his hands rest on the rim of the console, the difference in the Master’s height hardly changing his demeanor~

MASTER:

~carefully leans down, tilting his head slightly and locking his lips onto the Doctor’s, letting his eyes close as his left hand pushes the Doctor gently backwards into the console so that the controls dig into the Doctor’s back uncomfortably~

DOCTOR:

~makes a small hum of approval, kissing the Master passionately and letting his own eyes close. Brings his arms around the Master, his back arching away from the controls~

MASTER:

~lets his right hand drift up to the Doctor’s cheek, equally meeting the Doctor’s passion for a few more moments before breaking the kiss, breathing a little more heavily as he leans forward, pressing his nose and forehead to the Doctor’s. He establishes a small telepathic connection and subtly tugs at the drums, quieting them slightly~

DOCTOR:

~smiles in thankful relief as well as (not literally)drunken euphoria, catching up on lost breath, ready to break the telepathic connection should the Master try to take the drums but otherwise allowing the Master’s telepathic presence to have as much access as he would the TARDIS if the Master so wishes~

MASTER:

~mentally sends his request to take the drums once more, seeming desperate for the Doctor’s permission. Already he starts pulling at the drums a little more, quieting them as much as he can without actually transferring the signal~

DOCTOR:

~looks timidly apologetic, then decided, replying that he will let the Master take them but he would rather see the Master just be okay for a bit for once~

MASTER:

~promises that he’ll be okay for a good while—he’s more used to handling the drums than the Doctor anyway—as he takes them without hesitation, drawing the noise from the Doctor’s mind and leaving it completely silent. Closes his eyes quickly and holds back a grimace, coming back down to meet the Doctor’s lips with a firm sense of finality~

DOCTOR:

~inwardly wishes the Master wouldn’t promise things to reassure him, tilting his head slightly to the side to kiss the Master in a mixture of passion and playful frustration with his decisions, more than happy to have control over his thought process again (as much as any person can) despite his dislike to the way he lost the drums~

MASTER:

~lets his right hand drop heavily from the Doctor’s cheek without really thinking, having been focused on getting used to the drums again and, in fact, how to maintain his focus; jumping back slightly and breaking the kiss with a short, pained outcry. Holds his wrist tenderly to his chest, hesitating a moment before coming back down to continue the kiss softly as if nothing had happened~

DOCTOR:

~brings a hand up to the Master’s right wrist, applying pressure but in such a way that it’s soothing rather than painful, kissing the Master back equivalently~

MASTER:

~nips at the Doctor’s bottom lip on a defensive reflex, taking a moment to relax a little and realize that the pressure isn’t painful. His whole body shiver slightly as he dutifully distracts himself with continuing to gently kiss the Doctor in an almost apologetic way~

DOCTOR:

~carefully kisses the Master back, his hand that isn’t on the Master’s wrist rubs the Master’s back, accepting the implied apology, having only wanted to help in the first place and figuring he should have expected the Master’s reaction to be something like it was~

MASTER:

~breaks the kiss momentarily for air, coming back down for another second or two before breaking it off entirely, hesitating and then standing straight, keeping his wrist where the Doctor’s holding it in order to avoid further injury~ is there anything we can do to help this heal? ~looks down at his wrist almost in annoyance before meeting the Doctor’s gaze thankfully~

DOCTOR:

~smiling back, thinks for a second, it having been a rather long time since he was last required to treat anything. Stands up straight, letting both hands fall to his sides~ really when it comes to fractures to bone has to heal itself… I might have something to help that along but I’d have to look through the cupboard full of meds again.

MASTER:

I wouldn’t mind. ~watches the Doctor intently, finding it a little odd to not have to look up as much to meet the other Timelord’s gaze. Gently brings his hands up to the Doctor’s sides, his eyes flicking downwards briefly before coming back up to look at the Doctor again~

DOCTOR:

~gives a small smile, letting his gaze meet the Master’s, finding it’s a little difficult to walk away to get anything when he’s pressed between the Master and the TARDIS with the Master’s hands on his sides. Feels cornered but not intimidated, knowing if he tried to walk away he’d be allowed to and not wanting to walk away given the Master’s gentleness~

MASTER:

~lets his hands slowly drift up the Doctor’s sides and come around to his chest, continuing up to the Doctor’s neck and resting there; he remains thoughtfully idle for a few moments before speaking softly~ I missed you too. ~places a brief, careful kiss on the Doctor’s nose~

DOCTOR:

~his smile widens warmly and he hugs the Master a little suddenly, careful not to hurt him with the action, burrowing his face in the Master’s shoulder slightly as he had in his dream—but this Master is real and neither of them are going to die~

MASTER:

~lets out a small noise of surprise—something between a squeak and a hum, quickly becoming relaxed as he lets his eyes close, wrapping his arms gently around the Doctor. His right hand carefully comes to the back of the Doctor’s head, his fingers combing lightly through the other Timelord’s hair~

DOCTOR:

~lets the hug last a few moments, noticing the Master’s little tendencies that his dream and hallucination tried to mimic, realizing how much better it is when it’s real. His grip loosens slightly to introduce the end of the hug while leaving ending it optional~

MASTER:

~rests his head faintly against the Doctor’s, taking a quiet deep breath before letting his own grip loosen, sliding his hands away from the Doctor and stepping back to hesitantly end the hug~

DOCTOR:

~lets his hands fall to his sides, lifting his head to meet the Master’s gaze again before hesitantly starting toward the hallway~ so; you wanted something for your wrist, right? ~speaks simply to create conversation, having not actually forgotten~

MASTER:

Yes. ~nods slightly, following the Doctor without hesitation towards the hallway~ anything that’ll help it along.

DOCTOR:

I should have something, considering how many medications are in that one cabinet alone. ~turns right into the hallway~

MASTER:

~falls back a little and trails behind the Doctor~ thanks. ~as he walks he tightly grips his left forearm, grimacing briefly in pain as his wrist is strained and blood from his uncleaned cuts seeps onto his hand~

DOCTOR:

~glances back, having been checking the Master’s location and condition more frequently lately, sighing as he looks back in front of him~ I told you I could take care of those cuts.

MASTER:

And I told you they don’t need it. ~retorts in an almost spiteful way, looking apologetic afterwards when he realizes his tone, looking at his feet as he walks but continuing to roughly grip his arm~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, a mixture of agitated and worried, realizing he left the door open when he went to get the first aid for the Master and walking in. Glances over at the chair, his trench coat still sitting on it from when the Master was sick. Smiles at the oddly adorably memory as he opens the cabinet and starts rifling through pill bottles~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor’s gaze to the trench coat, his grip on his forearm loosening as he lets his hands fall to his sides; by now the right one is covered in crimson. Looks back at the Doctor, then around at the rest of the room, allowing his gaze to drift to the cabinet where he remembers being told the anesthetics are, giving a small, devious smirk~

DOCTOR:

~speaks as he’s looking through the pills~ you know, I really did hallucinate you once due to actual hallucinogens when you were gone. It’s the only reason I told them what was going on.

MASTER:

~after a moment he decides to sit down, picking up the trench coat with his non-bloodied hand and setting it on the table. Turns sideways in the chair to talk more directly to the Doctor~ what did hallucination-me do?

DOCTOR:

Well, at first I thought I was just going mad; there was no logical way for you to have been on a house next to London on the surface. Jack was the one to discover the alien pod spewing hallucinogens into the air, and he announced it to assure everyone whoever we were seeing weren’t there. ~finds the correct bottle, setting it on the table next to the Master~ you—or, hallucination-you, rather—just looked confused; I was a mess, I won’t lie, and you asked me if I was okay, like you didn’t know-… ~shakes his head, recuperating for a moment~

MASTER:

~looks at the bottle, picking it up and tilting it slightly to read the labels as he listens, looking up at the Doctor when he suddenly cuts off and deciding it’s a good time to skip the details~ so… what did you do with the pod?

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head, looking back at the Master~ right; we took the pod back to Torchwood but they needed an explanation for why I was so shaken over a hallucination, so I told them what had happened. Unfortunately, the story inspired them to want to go against GLaDOS and I blew up on them just a little—though it didn’t help that Jack acted like he could have done something to stop your “death”. You managed to calm me down though they couldn’t see you. By the time we got back to Torchwood hallucination-you had faded away and we found there was a “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” in the pod.

MASTER:

Why didn’t you let them try to help? ~looks over the bottle once more before opening it and tapping a few pills out into his hand~

DOCTOR:

GLaDOS had already warned me against doing so and the last thing I wanted was for it not to work and for them to be stuck with Her too. I couldn’t live with the possibility that they’d all die for me—minus Jack, he’d come back.

MASTER:

~takes one of the pills, dropping the other back into the bottle and closing it up~ speaking of which; you said we should probably pay Torchwood a visit.

DOCTOR:

Yeah; I’m sure they’d be glad to know we’re both okay, I left on a bit of a solemn note. ~thinks about Gwen’s concern and Torchwood’s knowledge about the drums and his vaguely aggressive dialogue with Jack~

MASTER:

~pushes the bottle across the table towards the Doctor, knocking it over onto its side in the process~ right, let’s go then. ~stands up, smearing a small amount of blood on the table with his right hand by accident~

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head at the action, putting the bottle away and grabbing his trench coat to throw it on as he walks out and down the hall~ Allons-y. ~decides he’ll clean the blood later~

MASTER:

~follows after the Doctor, jogging a little to catch up to him, his boots hissing a little louder than usual as he does so. Walks a little bit behind the Doctor, smiling slightly at the return of the trench coat and noting to himself that the Doctor looks attractively good in it~

DOCTOR:

~walks at his usual quick pace, turning into the console room and causing his trench coat to swish familiarly, smiling and informing the TARDIS of their plans mentally~

TARDIS:

~she acknowledges the Doctor’s explanation, seeming cheery because of the Doctor’s cheery mood~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor into the console room, chuckling in a quiet, lighthearted manner and walking with the Doctor up to the console, remaining slightly behind him and to the side~

DOCTOR:

~taps in the coordinates to go back to Torchwood, realizing the brakes are still off as he goes to pull the lever and leaving them off for the Master. Pulls the lever dramatically to lift off, finding the lighthearted mood refreshing~

MASTER:

~walks around the console and nonchalantly flicks the breaks on~

TARDIS:

~whining as she takes off again after being silent for so long, the noise making her nostalgically more gladdened~

MASTER:

~doesn’t seem outwardly pained by the noise, looking over at the Doctor with a contented, reassuring expression~

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the Master thankfully, jogging about and flying the TARDIS with all of his old flamboyance. Gives the Master a quick kiss on the cheek when he goes to flip a seemingly important switch near the Master, otherwise flying the ship as usual~

MASTER:

~tenses at the unexpected action, watching the Doctor continue to run around the console, looking surprised and a little flushed for a moment before glancing down at the console with a wide smile~

TARDIS:

~lands, still considerably excited due to the near-normal state of things~

DOCTOR:

~still smiling happily, does a little half-skip on his way to the door, looking at the Master with the satisfaction that his actions weren’t expected as he opens the door, knowing his cheery mood will also be unexpected for Torchwood or Jack—depending on what time of day it is—as he steps out~

JACK:

~walks out of his office, wearing his coat and looking cautiously prepared as he approaches the TARDIS, stopping in his tracks and momentarily questioning the Doctor’s sanity as he looks at the Doctor in concerned confusion~ Doctor…?

TARDIS:

~remembers GLaDOS’ request for the Doctor to remain inside, warning him of it~

DOCTOR:

~the reminder worries him but he pushes it aside, figuring he can say he forgot given the fact that he did. Gestures for the Master to come out before looking at Jack, noticing his caution with understanding~ yeah, Jack, it’s me; I’m fine though. The Master’s _alive_ and we’re great! Well, more or less… ~realizes how mad he sounds without the knowledge that the Master’s there~

JACK:

~looks at the Doctor, mildly horrified before the Master comes up to the doors~

MASTER:

~waves gently, as to not hurt his wrist~

JACK:

~just looks completely shocked and somewhat frightened, taking a step back and reaching to his hip as if to draw a weapon~

DOCTOR:

~realizes after a second how bad this looks, instantly explaining~ he never was dead, GLaDOS faked that. As for the cuts and the wrist, he jumped and fell about half a mile, living through _that_ because of the long-fall boots. ~lifts his hands slightly to signal for calm~

JACK:

~lets his hand fall to his side, however he takes another step back and keeps his distance while giving himself time to process this, eventually asking~ how the hell do you fall half a mile? ~sounds a little overwhelmed~

MASTER:

~looks down and lets the Doctor answer the questions as usual, gently grazing the heel of his right boot back and forth across the grated floor in thought~

DOCTOR:

Long fall boots; a technology developed by Aperture that absorb honestly amazing amounts of impact. Though he fell half a mile by falling off of a catwalk in Aperture. ~pauses in thought before grimacing~ I can only imagine what sort of “testing” it took to perfect them; the boots, I mean.

GLaDOS:

*If you think I dropped humans from great heights to see which long fall boot prototype worked best, you’re sadly mistaken.*

MASTER:

~his repeated action falters for a moment as GLaDOS’ voice comes from behind him~

JACK:

~infers who is speaking and cringes visibly, looking over at the Doctor, not having expected the AI to sound so… humanlike in the way she speaks~

GLaDOS:

*That’s what the human scientists before me did.*

DOCTOR:

~GLaDOS’ statements make the Doctor’s natural air of confidence seem to deteriorate. Shakes his head, not wanting to let GLaDOS silence the conversation~ right. Jack, I told you a bit about GLaDOS; GLaDOS, Jack. ~finds the introduction tense and a little unnecessary, just wanting to avoid silence~

GLaDOS:

*Yes, nice to meet you. I gather he’s the one who wanted to attack my facility.*

JACK:

~looks angrily past the Master into the TARDIS, speaking with a loathsome undertone~ only because you’re practically torturing people. ~looks between the Master and the Doctor~

GLaDOS:

~waits a few moments before changing the subject~ *Doctor—I thought I had told you to stay inside your ship.*

DOCTOR:

~Looks like a scolded child as he obediently steps back into the TARDIS, knowing Jack has probably never seen him comply so easily to something he clearly doesn’t want to do~ sorry. ~the apology is clearly directed at GLaDOS as he looks into the TARDIS to say it before turning back to face Jack~

JACK:

~grimaces, the Doctor’s obedience making him feel sick and the sincere apology only making it worse~ dammit, Doctor… ~turns his head to the side and glances downward for a moment, unable to meet the Doctor’s gaze. Looks forward again when the Master speaks~

MASTER:

~a little spitefully~ it’s not as if we have much choice.

DOCTOR:

~nods in agreement even though he sees both of their points, adding to the Master’s statement~ unless we want to end up in a worse situation. ~manages to look at Jack as he speaks though Jack’s expression makes him more aware of how much of his own willpower has diminished~

JACK:

~sighs lightly, glancing downward again and shaking his head a little before meeting the Doctor’s gaze, taking a few unsure steps toward the TARDIS~ please, let me come with you. Let me at least try to help… I’ve got the vortex manipulator if things get out of hand.

DOCTOR:

~looks extremely conflicted, glancing at the Master before shaking his head and sighing, turning back to Jack~ how would that even work; She can hear and see virtually everything.

JACK:

If we get enough of an advantage it shouldn’t matter. ~takes another more confident step towards the TARDIS, coming to a stop just outside the door~ please? I… I hate seeing you like this. ~looks over at the Master to acknowledge him as well~

DOCTOR:

~his gaze drops to the floor in thought, knowing Jack intends to risk his life for him. Looks back at Jack, still appearing conflicted~ fine… if things go awry, though, you leave. The last thing I want is for _you_ to be stuck in this mess too.

 


	4. The Plan

JACK:

~nods in understanding, glancing over his shoulder briefly before stepping inside the TARDIS, closing the door behind him gently~

MASTER:

~awkwardly takes a few steps away from the doors~

GLaDOS:

*He’ll be joining us, then?*

DOCTOR:

Not permanently. ~knows a bit of testing protocol by now, not wanting Jack classified as a test subject~ think of him as your first visitor in god-knows-how-long.

GLaDOS:

*that’s not necessarily for you to decide. He’s an added factor to your tests whether he likes it or not.*

JACK:

~looks around the console room, feeling glad to be back in the TARDIS despite the current situation~

DOCTOR:

Whatever you say. ~clearly done with the conversation, looks between Jack and the Master, pacing towards the console a little~ so, what now, exactly?

MASTER:

We didn’t exactly have plans after heading to Torchwood. ~walks over to the console with the Doctor, looking over the controls pensively as he rests his hands on the rim of the console~ either it’s back to Aperture or wandering around the TARDIS.

JACK:

~stands by the doors as not-awkwardly as possible, folding his arms as he watches the two Timelords closely~

DOCTOR:

Maybe we should show Jack that hallway; I’m sure there’s something to see there. ~feels clever in his way of undermining GLaDOS though he knows she’s likely to figure it out, wondering if She’ll respond angrily if they fail and who might get hurt~

MASTER:

~takes a moment to understand what the Doctor’s implying, nodding when he gets it~ sure, sounds like a good place to start.

JACK:

~unfolds his arms and walks up to them, tilting his head slightly in a questioning manner~ what hallway are we talking about now?

DOCTOR:

You’ll find out. ~taps in coordinates for the slightly unsteady catwalk~ think of it as yet another unknown destination. ~sets his hand on the lever to lift off~ everyone ready to go?

JACK:

~nods in affirmation~

MASTER:

~starts checking minorly important controls, not feeling the need to verbally express his readiness as he leaves his left hand on the rim of the console to prepare for takeoff~

DOCTOR:

~pulls the lever, taking off and flying as usual; jogging about and using controls sometimes unnecessarily. Thinks about their situation in a positive light as he flies the TARDIS~

MASTER:

~occasionally moves around as well to get in a spot where the Doctor’s trench coat will brush against him as the Doctor passes by, smiling to himself with satisfaction at his subtle, presumably unnoticed intentions~

JACK:

~backs up and gets out of their way, holding onto the railing until the TARDIS lands, followed by a creak of the catwalk outside~

DOCTOR:

~walks up to the doors, looking at Jack as he opens them grandly~ welcome to Aperture Science Laboratories, where morality is greatly lacking for the sake of science.

JACK:

~peers outside, looking slightly puzzled at the unimportant appearance of the catwalk and the door compared to the Doctor’s grandeur, asking cautiously~ do I have permission to follow you out? ~still seems to be being careful of his actions when around the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~stops himself from acting exasperated, realizing Jack doesn’t know the drums aren’t in his head~ of course. ~acts as if the question confuses him, walking out onto the catwalk a little upset by Jack’s mild fear of him but trying not to show it, not wanting to tell Jack that the Master has them~

JACK:

~is a little concerned by the Doctor’s normal behaviour, but he chooses to dismiss it as a harmless cheerful mood, most likely because of the Master’s return as he follows the Doctor out onto the catwalk, proceeded by the Master~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the walkway whines a little as they walk down it~

JACK:

~looks around at absolutely everything he can see with reserved curiosity and a little bit of astonishment~ how far down does this place go? ~asks in awe, looking down past his feet at the nothingness below~

DOCTOR:

I don’t know for sure, though last I checked it ends in an extremely vast pool of water that seems extremely deadly. ~finds himself realizing that if the Master had jumped somewhere a little further along the catwalk he could have landed in the deadly waters, glancing over at the Master as he continues toward the door~

JACK:

~nods slightly, the door catching his eye as they walk towards it and it slides open~ is this the hallway you were talking about? ~walks in after the Doctor, looking around in confusion, not having expected the welcoming room~

MASTER:

~is a little further behind and the door half-closes before reopening to let him through~

DOCTOR:

Yes; perhaps the most misleading area in Aperture. ~meanders over to the article the Master has found, gesturing to it~ though this might be rather helpful; the Master found it and it supplies a bit of key info on GLaDOS, or “Caroline.”

JACK:

~walks up to the glass display, looking in at the article and taking a moment to read over it~ so, are you saying that GLaDOS… was human?

MASTER:

~walks over, standing a few feet away from Jack and the Doctor~ it’s a bit vague, but yeah, the theory fits.

DOCTOR:

~nods, visibly disgusted by the idea~ especially because we’ve seen GLaDOS portray feeling in such a way a simple AI can’t… granted, her morality’s twisted as hell.

JACK:

~stands straight, looking between the Doctor and the Master with his hands in his pockets~ right. I hope this gives us some sort of advantage… got any plans so far?

DOCTOR:

Well we could try to straight up use her humanity against Her… or we could try to extract her consciousness. ~gestures to the Master to indicate the latter was his idea~ that’s what we have so far but I’m all ears if you have another idea.

JACK:

Nothing’s come to mind so far, but what you have has a decent chance of working. ~smiles slightly~ it’s better than not trying, don’t you think?

  
DOCTOR:

~is unable to stop himself from retorting~ sorry we’ve been too busy trying to survive to attempt long-shot stunts. We did, for your information, just recently find this article. ~looks directly at Jack as he speaks~ you seem to like accusing me of not trying, please don’t.

JACK:

I’m not… accusing you; I’m just making a point. ~looks a little offended, meeting the Doctor’s gaze for a few seconds before glancing downward in thought~ can She hear what we’re saying right now? ~looks up towards the ceiling, as that’s where Her voice usually comes from~

DOCTOR:

I don’t think so; which makes this the best place to plan. ~ignores Jack’s offense, seeming to dismiss the whole exchange though he’s still a bit put off by it~ that is if we want to go in with a plan for once.

JACK:

Assuming we’ll meet some unexpected obstacles, it might be best to have a flexible one. ~turns around and leans back a little on the glass display, glancing at the Master briefly then meeting the Doctor’s gaze again~

MASTER:

~is focused blankly on the ground, keeping himself out of the conversation~

DOCTOR:

Yes; the question is how to get GLaDOS to let us somewhere where we could extract her consciousness and/or how to use her humanity against her. ~notices the Master’s distanced nature, muttering to him in concern~ you okay?

MASTER:

~flinches in surprise at being addressed, looking up at the Doctor quickly and seeming slightly distressed but he gives a small smile~ yeah; why wouldn’t I be?

DOCTOR:

~raises his eyebrows in a “really? You’re kidding me.”~ you were dead and then you fell half a mile, you can’t blame me for being concerned.

MASTER:

Well; I wasn’t dead, I survived that fall, and I’m being allowed your company again… of course I’m fine. ~smiles a little wider and a little more genuinely before he lets it fade~ go on, I was listening.

JACK:

~looks up at the ceiling, glancing at the Doctor once the Master encourages them to continue, replying hesitantly~ so… we could do both, I suppose; strategically. Start by tampering with her humanity, and then it might be easier to extract her consciousness.

DOCTOR:

~smiles back at the Master before turning to Jack again~ yes but the question is still how… She did stall in such a way that the computer thought she was corrupted once, which—as long as we don’t overdo it—could distract her long enough for us to extract her consciousness given we know how to do that. Which leads me to wonder, where’s GLaDOS’ system that acts as a brain?

JACK:

~offers thoughtfully~ if we have a scanner we might be able to find it…

MASTER:

~glances downward in confusion, looking up at the Doctor and commenting~ I’m not sure I was there for either of those times.

DOCTOR:

~turns to the Master, explaining~ it was just once, when you were in the room with the cords. ~looks back at Jack, hoping Jack doesn’t ask about “the room with the cords”~ and I’m sure the TARDIS could find it but we might risk Her finding out that way.

JACK:

~nods slightly, thoughtful~ …what room with cords? ~glances at the Master~

MASTER:

~grimaces a little and looks away, avoiding Jack’s gaze and looking obviously uncomfortable with the question~

DOCTOR:

~seems almost defensive when he answers the question~ the room in Aperture filled with cords; exactly what it sounds like. ~knows he’s being vague as well as the fact that this simply isn’t any of Jack’s business anyway~

JACK:

~shrugs slightly, crossing his legs over one another and looking outward in thought again, perking up suddenly with an idea~ hey, does she know she’s a human? Or, at least used to be one? ~looks at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

I don’t know if she knows, though it’s probably somewhere in her knowledge, why? ~looks at Jack in curious interest, finding he has switched between with and against Jack a few times since they got here~

JACK:

It might be able to confuse her or get her to question her methods… no, wait, how about a paradox? ~grins widely in satisfaction at what he’s come up with~ not necessarily a literal one; but one of those impossible statements.

DOCTOR:

What, like “I always lie” or something? Well, one of them has to work, so if we’re reader to use either we should be set. ~speaks logically, starting to think through strategy~ I can talk near endlessly if you and the Master can handle extracting her consciousness. ~looks between Jack and the Master for an overall consensus on the plan~

JACK:

~nods in agreement, smiling a little~

MASTER:

~furrows his eyebrows in confusion and seems to be having a little trouble focusing~ …no, I had meant I also wasn’t there for the discovery of how to extract GLaDOS’ consciousness. Care to explain that?

DOCTOR:  
That’s what we’re still trying to figure out. ~speaks patiently, looking concerned for the Master, knowing it’s probably the drums that are the problem~ I figured that if we can get to whatever acts as GLaDOS’ brain we can extract her consciousness from there.

MASTER:

~nods in acknowledgement, looking off to the side as his eyes go out of focus~ it would be convenient for her consciousness to be a simple disk. She is a disk operating system, after all. ~looks back to the Doctor, then to Jack~ I think we’ll be able to manage it.

JACK:

~nods in agreement~

DOCTOR:

Okay. So, all that’s left is to locate the disk… though I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s on GLaDOS herself. ~looks between Jack and the Master, knowing things could get difficult if that were the case~

JACK:

She’s not just integrated into the facility? ~looks confused by the Doctor’s wording, finding himself speculating about what GLaDOS might look like, apart from just a simple computer~

DOCTOR:

No, she’s a separate machine wired into the ceiling of a mainframe that controls maybe a little over half of the facility. ~thinks for a moment~ I really don’t know how to describe Her.

JACK:

You probably won’t have to, considering that’s where her consciousness is most likely to be rooted. ~looks between the Doctor and the Master, taking a small step away from the glass he was leaning on~ the plan sounds good to me; so, are you going to drop us off somewhere? ~addresses the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

Well it seems like Her mainframe is the most likely place to find the disk. ~starts towards the TARDIS thoughtfully, his step faltering after a moment, muttering~ damn it! ~and stopping, looking at the floor~

MASTER:

~strides over and stands beside the Doctor, looking at him in concern~ Doctor, what is it?

JACK:

~confused and concerned, walks over as well but a little less urgently~

DOCTOR:

~looks up at the Master, looking frustrated and oddly desperate~ she’s the only one who can get rid of the drums. We get rid of her and they might be here to stay.

MASTER:

~brings a hand to the Doctor’s shoulder comfortingly~ perhaps we could convince her to take them, but if… if not, we’ll just have to deal with it. It’s worth the freedom, though… right? ~rubs the Doctor’s shoulder slightly, his hands shaking a little~

DOCTOR:

~forces a small smile, though in his mind he’s remembering just how little freedom he had during the year that never was~ it’s your call, you’re the one being affected. I’ll go with whatever you choose.

MASTER:

We’ll just go with whatever happens. ~takes his hand off the Doctor’s shoulder, stalling a moment before walking out to the doors, leading the way back to the TARDIS~

JACK:

~walks up to the Doctor’s side, his voice a little unsteady~ w-wait, he has the drums now? ~looks at the Master untrustingly~

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master, looking over to address Jack~ yes. In fact, he took them back so I wouldn’t have to suffer them. So I suggest you don’t judge him based on his past.

JACK:

~follows behind the Doctor once they get through the door and out onto the catwalk, speaking solemnly~ Sorry; it’s hard to know who to trust.

MASTER:

~walks into the TARDIS, leaving the door open for the Doctor and Jack as he heads for the console and checks the monitor briefly~

DOCTOR:

It’s okay. ~walks in, knowing GLaDOS is watching. Looks up to speak to Her~ are the drums really even still necessary? We get it; they give one sadistic thoughts until the person goes over the edge.

GLaDOS:

*If I told you, it would change the nature of my data.*

MASTER:

~paces slowly beside the console, his arms carefully folded so that his wrist won’t be in a painful position~

JACK:

~walks in, closing the door behind him and standing idly by the doors, simply watching and listening~

DOCTOR:

The pattern’s a bit repetitive, don’t you think? I get the drums, the Master takes them, I grow increasingly concerned until you take them back, repeat. ~tries to sound persuasively conversational rather than desperate~

GLaDOS:

*There; you see, that’s how experimentation works. And it’s fascinating to see what I’ve gotten so far.*

MASTER:

~stops pacing and impatiently starts checking certain controls and preparing them for a takeoff~

GLaDOS:

*If you think you’re going to get me to take them back, I’m sorry, but don’t waste your time.*

DOCTOR:

That’s how insanity works. ~bites the inside of his lip, shrugging~ whatever. ~thinks for a moment, walking over and tapping in coordinates~ I bet none of you can solve this riddle: everyone in a village shaves themselves or is shaved by the barber. The barber shaves everyone who doesn’t shave themselves but no one else. Who shaves the barber?

GLaDOS:

*No-… wait, that’s a paradox-! Sie możesz; non…* ~delves into brief, sped-up gibberish before her connection fizzes out~

JACK:

~grins in victory and frolicking a little on his way to the console~

MASTER:

~stops and looks up, seeming surprised that the paradox idea actually worked~

DOCTOR:

~pulls the lever as soon as coordinates are established, giving Jack an excited approving smile as he runs about, flying the TARDIS to GLaDOS’ mainframe~ I can get the TARDIS steady and up next to her; it’ll be hard to reach her otherwise.

MASTER:

~steps back from the console to let the Doctor handle things, smiling and cautiously allowing himself to hope, knowing the greater the expectation the more devastating a failure would be~

JACK:

~strides to the doors, waiting there until the TARDIS lands after which he opens them~

MASTER:

~comes over to meet Jack~

ENVIRONMENT:

~outside, about ten feet away, GLaDOS is hanging limply from the ceiling and swinging back and forth slightly~

JACK:

Oh… ~looks down at her and cringes uncomfortably at Her daunting appearance~

DOCTOR:

Can you reach or do I have to move? ~appears ready to move the TARDIS at request, looking over at the Master and Jack~ I don’t dare think she’ll be out for very long, and I don’t think she’ll be happy if she wakes up.

MASTER:

Just a few feet closer, if you can. ~calls back, looking out at the mainframe for any sort of disk drive~

JACK:

~leans out a little, prepared to make a reach or even jump out should the need arise~

DOCTOR:

~turns a few knobs and spins a crank, bringing them about five feet closer as steadily as he can, a little glad he got to avoid seeing Her again, the last time he saw Her being his nightmare~

JACK:

~reaches out, grabbing hold of part of the mainframe and managing to pull the TARDIS closer so that reaching GLaDOS is less of a hassle, getting down onto his knees and looking up at the Master~

MASTER:

~points out at a few possible locations of the disk~

JACK:

~rests his hands on the side of GLaDOS’ mainframe, being directed to a hatch that he pops open and feels around in, calling to the Doctor~ we should be ready to fly someplace else, just in case-… ~grimaces, pulling at something inside and falling backwards into the TARDIS with a black box the size of two or three stacked CD cases in his hands~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a few lights on the mainframe start turning on~

MASTER:

~announces it~ she’s powering up again!

DOCTOR:

She can’t do anything worse than usual as long as we’re in the TARDIS. ~sounds desperately determined, working to keep the TARDIS steady but movable~ we might still be able to get it; the second She moves I’ll get us far away from here. ~sets coordinates to mock-Gallifrey in preparation~

MASTER:

~shakes his head slightly, only worried more because he knows GLaDOS’ “usual” amount of control includes himself, as well as the TARDIS~

JACK:

~recollects himself and looks at the box in his hands~

MASTER:

~reaches out to continue to mess with the mainframe; stops when Jack scrambles to his feet~

JACK:

~the box—which seems to have ejected a disk out of the top side—is in his hand~ I don’t know what exactly it’s for, but I got a disk! ~turns around to face the console excitedly~

MASTER:

~steps fully inside the TARDIS as the mainframe outside starts stirring; he notices and quickly shuts the doors~

DOCTOR:

~dematerializes as soon as the door is entirely shut, speaking as he runs about the console~ if we’re lucky, it’ll take Her a minute to reach the other side of the galaxy if She can even do anything without that disk. If we’re _really_ lucky, she can’t do anything without that disk. If we’re off-the-charts lucky, she can’t do anything without it _and_ it contains all of her data.

JACK:

~walks over to the bench, sitting down to search the disk for labels and discovering none, otherwise finding it to be a completely normal, double-sided disk~ seems like there’s nothing on it that describes its function. Not even a number… I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what She can do.

MASTER:

~the TARDIS lands, and he opens the doors to check their location, smiling a little at the pleasant surprise of finding it to be the Gallifrey look-alike~

DOCTOR:

~notices the Master’s action, smiling over at him before turning to Jack~ the console has a thing to read disks, she can probably figure out what’s on it. ~pushes a small button, making the disk pan slide out to accept the disk~ though it might be too encrypted considering Aperture’s surprising technology.

JACK:

The disk was probably created by humans with late 20th century tech, so it shouldn’t be _too_ complicated… ~walks over to the port, clipping the disk in and pushing it back into the slot~ one would hope.

TARDIS:

~seems to have a little trouble reading it, broadcasting vague frustration for a moment, just starting to pick up some information from the disk triumphantly~

GLaDOS:

~speaks, sounding dazed~ *ugh… what… what the hell was that? Did you-* ~she sighs~ *you took something off me, didn’t you?* ~sounds less angry, and rather more offended, even a little confused~

DOCTOR:

All I did was give you a riddle. And, well, yes; we took something. ~feels as if he’s been defeated again, though it’s almost as if he’s used to it by now~ don’t like paradoxes, eh? ~grins despite their failure, finding a weakness in GLaDOS making this better than a complete loss~ an AI’s an AI no matter how human, I suppose.

GLaDOS:

*Hum-an-… oh… so you’ve found out about that, have you?* ~seems to take a moment to process what the Doctor said, the statement having been unexpected coming from him~ *Well, too bad; I deleted Caroline a while back.* ~despite her claims, she’s seemed a lot more “human” in the way she speaks since she was temporarily shut down~

DOCTOR:

Nope. ~leans casually on the console rim, liking the minor upper-hand though it’s probably mostly an illusion~ and do you know _why_ I say that? Because you can’t delete the entirety of your personality which was probably directly correlating to Caroline’s. That and you have emotion, the burden and gift of the living. There is no way you can completely delete her without completely deleting yourself, whether or not you let yourself remember.

GLaDOS:

~she goes silent for a moment, thinking~ *…well…* ~gets quiet again, seeming unable to find something to say in reply to the Doctor’s quite accurate statement~

DOCTOR:

~grins, his air of clever confidence returning for the moment. Looks thoughtful after a second~ I did bring up the idea, when we were contemplating what to do, that your humanity could help everyone in the situation. You were programmed to do what you do, but maybe the four best minds in this universe can give you the freedom of humanity; we might be able to stop the computer from thinking you’re corrupted if you don’t do your job. It’s an offer, not even a request so take it or leave it.

GLaDOS:

*…no thank you. I’m fine the way things are… I always was. I’m not about to just cease testing altogether.*

TARDIS:

~finishes reading the disk, victoriously reporting to the Doctor that the disk was prepared to install a euphoric reaction to completing a test in case the main computer would slack off at any time. Adds that it tends to give less and less of an electronic dosage to the main computer, just like an addictive drug would~

DOCTOR:

~smiles victoriously despite GLaDOS’ statement, knowing now that Jack just took all the fun out of testing~ okay then. Understood. ~looks over at the Master, smiling~ it’s not what we hoped for, but it’s good. The disk we can smash at will, by the way. It’s nothing important.

GLaDOS:

*Hey, don’t go around smashing bits of me-*

MASTER:

~smiles and walks over to the Doctor, leaving the door open and letting a gentle, cool breeze in from outside~

JACK:

~walks over to the console, popping open the disk drive and taking the disk out, snapping it in half with his hands and giving the two pieces to the Doctor in case he would like to do anything else with them~

DOCTOR:

~speaks to GLaDOS as he snaps each piece in half and sets the four pieces on the console~ it’s nothing essential for you, I promise. Besides, you’ve done worse to us. ~looks down from the ceiling at the Master and Jack, still smiling as he gestures to the disk~ I know a good black hole for this.

MASTER:

Black hole? ~asks, concerned as he peers at the pieces of broken disk~ what was on that disk? ~looks up at the Doctor~

JACK:

~looks quizzical as well~

DOCTOR:

I honestly just like throwing things I don’t agree with into black holes, that’s what happened to the TARDIS manual. As for what’s on the disk, it’s the very thing that makes testing fun; GLaDOS’ drug, so to speak.

JACK:

~grins~ well then, I didn’t do too bad, did I?

MASTER:

~doesn’t seem to mind that Jack didn’t acknowledge his pointing out the hatch in the first place, leaning on the Doctor’s shoulder and hooking his arm gently around the Doctor’s, smiling~

DOCTOR:

Not at all. ~entwines his fingers with the Master’s in response to the Master’s actions, knowing they all worked equally for this~ I’d suggest we go out somewhere but it’s probably best we don’t push our luck. Though Jack, if you want to see Gallifrey Look-Alike, feel free to go take a look.

JACK:

Gallifrey, what? ~looks caught off-guard, glancing out at the still-open door and succeeding in trying to keep his eyes off of the Doctor and the Master’s entwined fingers~ this is a Gallifrey look-alike?

DOCTOR:

Yeah; we really just stumbled upon it at one point. Not _perfect,_ of course, but enough to catch us a little off-guard… us being the Master and I. ~speaks as if there’s nothing remotely awkward about the situation, seeming as socially oblivious as ever~

MASTER:

~lets his eyes drift closed, nodding slightly as he brushes his fingers gently against the back of the Doctor’s hand~

JACK:

~looks at the two of them, seeming confused for a moment before starting towards the exit~ I’m just gonna—look around outside, if you don’t mind. Don’t go flying off without me. ~winks at the Doctor, trying to make the situation less awkward by acting like he normally would~

DOCTOR:

~gives a little chuckle at Jack’s mostly unchanged demeanor, realizing how awkward this must be for him all things considered~ go right ahead; the planet’s uninhabited so there’s nothing out there to worry about. ~glances at the Master as he speaks, remembering his comments on what uninhabited planets are good for with a smile~

JACK:

~nods, turning and heading outside without hesitation, strolling casually off through the red grass and going out of sight~

MASTER:

~leans a little shakily into the Doctor, still smiling slightly~

DOCTOR:

~notices the Master’s shakiness, speaking softly to him~ you okay? ~sounds less concerned and more like he’s just trying to be sure, liking the upbeat—if awkward—mood~

MASTER:

~his small smile fades and he lets his eyes open slightly, staring ahead at nothing in particular~ not… really. ~his tone starts out flat, but towards the end of his statement it gets thick with emotion and he hangs his head a little with defeat~

DOCTOR:

What’s wrong? ~his expression turns to one of pure concern in no time at all, looking at the Master more directly, thinking that he can’t have truly expected for their plan to work 100%~

MASTER:

~looks up again, meeting the Doctor’s gaze for a moment and glancing downward quickly, coming forward to rest his head on the Doctor’s chest as he speaks quietly~ it doesn’t matter. ~shivers faintly against the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~gently sets his hand that isn’t wrapped around the Master’s hand on the Master’s shoulder, his voice still comfortingly soft~ you don’t have to tell me; but please, if I can help in any way, tell me how.

MASTER:

I don’t want your help. ~grimaces after his harsh statement, burying his face in the Doctor’s shoulder and grasping the Doctor’s hand a little tighter, shaking more than before~

JACK:

~peers into the TARDIS, stepping inside when he sees the concerning situation~ everything alright in here?

DOCTOR:

~is clearly hurt by the Master’s statement, giving Jack a quick glance when he speaks~ no. ~answers without hesitation, looking at the Master a little desperately, his voice thick with emotion~ please, Master?

MASTER:

I want, ~looks up at the Doctor, letting go of his hand and taking a small step away from him~ to be alone.

JACK:

~stays where he is by the doors in conflicted silence~

MASTER:

~decidedly turns and walks away from the Doctor, breaking into a jog when he reaches the hallway~

DOCTOR:

~watches the Master go and continues staring at the doorway as if unable to fathom what just happened, tears threatening to come to his eyes—why did he want to cry? The Master’s hurt him worse before. Looks thoughtful and hurt as he tries to sort through what just happened~

JACK:

~closes the doors and hesitantly speaks up, his voice quieted~ …what was that about? ~walks closer to the console, stopping about five feet away from the Doctor and looking at him in concern~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, shaking his head and forcing himself to look away from the hallway, turning to Jack to talk to him~ I’m not entirely sure; something’s wrong and he won’t let me help. ~his gaze drops to the floor as he rewords his statement to match the Master’s~ he doesn’t want my help.

JACK:

Your whole situation is a bit emotionally taxing; you can’t blame him for lashing out every once in a while. ~tries to sound reassuring, leaning casually on the nearest railing and glancing downward in thought; looks up at the Doctor again as he comes off of the railing~ hey um, do you mind taking me back to Torchwood? ~smiles slightly~ I figure you’ve got more of an upper hand now; and I didn’t exactly tell my team where I was going before I left.

DOCTOR:

Right! Sorry, of course. ~walks over and taps in the coordinates, hoping the TARDIS going into flight doesn’t startle the Master wherever he is as he pulls the lever and runs about, flying the TARDIS~ I know I shouldn’t let it get to me, he just hasn’t done that before. ~thinks about how that must sound given everything the Master _has_ done before~

JACK:

~holds on to the railing to keep himself steady~ what, rejected your help? ~also finds himself thinking about the worse things that the Master has done~

TARDIS:

~settles into a landing~

DOCTOR:

Well-… ~thinks through all the times he offered help regarding the drums and how he was turned down nearly every time~ not since we woke up in Aperture and he was without the drums.

JACK:

How long have you been in his mess? ~looks at the Doctor in concern, not having asked before and needing some sort of perpective on how long ago this was~

DOCTOR:

~thinks for a moment; how long ago was it that they woke up, the Doctor awkwardly accepting close quarters with the Master, laughing when GLaDOS called herself “Test Master”, thinking it was 17 tests then it’d all be over?~ god, I don’t know… a month, roughly? I could be off. I could be _way_ off, I’m not used to staying on the same timeline, but I’m going to say _at least_ a month.

JACK:

~nods slightly, going still in a moment of silent thought before realizing the TARDIS had landed, looking at the Doctor and giving him a small salute-wave~ right; good luck, thanks for letting me help. ~heads to the doors, smiling back at the Doctor~ see ya later, Doc. ~opens the door and steps outside, letting it drift gently closed~

DOCTOR:

~waves back, wondering what’s the best course of action, asking the TARDIS where the Master is in what condition as he leans against the rim, petting it mostly to comfort himself~

TARDIS:

~seems conflicted between worry and confusion as she reports that the Master is lying on the floor in the hallway to the left of the console room, seeming to be in pain although she knows he had purposefully lowered himself to the ground; there was no falling involved~

DOCTOR:

~furrows his eyebrows in conflicted concern, worried but remembering the Master’s request to leave him alone, muttering aloud to himself~ I swear, if it’s those goddamn cuts that are hurting him, I will let myself get mad over it. ~frustratedly thinks over how, if the Master let him, he could have the Master bandaged up and clear-headed~

TARDIS:

~she mentally cringes away for a brief moment, relaxing and informing the Doctor of her attempt to talk to the Master, figuring he’ll know how well it went by her reaction. Solemnly advises the Doctor to go help despite the Master’s wishes; she had gotten a brief glimpse of the Master’s scattered thoughts and they were startlingly negative~

DOCTOR:

~walks out into the TARDIS hallway hesitantly, looking down and to the left at where the Master lay on the floor, his voice thick with worry~ Master…? ~his no clue what to expect from the Master by now~

MASTER:

~is on his back, perpendicular to the wall with his knees bent and his right hand up above his head, pressing into the wall forcefully. His head is tilted back slightly, eyes closed against the considerable pain his broken wrist is currently causing him~ I’m-… ~exhales heavily, breathing in deeply but shakily through clenched teeth~ I’m busy.

DOCTOR:

What are you-? ~closes his eyes for a second, calming himself~ is it the addiction? ~looks over into the console room, thinking back to the Master gripping his cuts, remembering how many times he offered to hurt himself so the Doctor didn’t have to~

MASTER:

~lets his arm fall out to the side, opening his eyes slightly and panting a little managing a weakly sarcastic tone~ what do _you_ think? ~swallows, getting his breath back and staring blankly up at the ceiling~ it didn’t just go away.

DOCTOR:

Sorry I didn’t think about your addiction when you came back from the dead. ~matches the Master’s sarcasm though he really is sorry for not thinking of it~

MASTER:

~after a moment his blank look becomes slightly distressed, and he holds back tears as he rolls himself over onto his side and curls up into a tight ball, not shaking that much anymore but instead shuddering from a silent sob~

DOCTOR:

What now? ~sounds concerned yet slightly exasperated, looking at the Master with the feeling that there’s nothing he can really do about this if the Master doesn’t let him. Steps closer to the Master, hating being unable to do anything and having to watch~

MASTER:

~doesn’t protest the Doctor’s advancement, relaxing and burying his face in his hands with a heavy sigh~ I’m sorry… ~mutters something to himself, his voice thick with emotion~

DOCTOR:

~grimaces slightly at the apology~ it’s okay. ~isn’t 100% sure exactly what the Master’s sorry for, knowing he forgives the Master for everything anyway~

MASTER:

~uncurls slightly at the acceptance of his apology, rolling over onto his other side and looking up at the Doctor~ please… I’m sorry I hurt you. I… I do need your help. ~reaches out towards the Doctor a little, keeping his hand on the floor~

DOCTOR:

~walks up to the Master the rest of the way, kneeling in front of him~ it’s okay, I forgive you, what do you need? ~looks at the Master, his every word fully sincere~

MASTER:

~closes his eyes halfway, reaching out to rest his hand on the Doctor’s leg as if confirming his presence as he speaks~ I need… ~grows thoughtful~ just… you, really. ~opens his eyes fully and looks up at the Doctor~ I’m in an extremely suckish mood, most likely because of my damned addiction on top of the drums. ~looks down at his uncleaned cuts~ and I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if you could help me get cleaned up.

DOCTOR:

~gives a small smile~ well, I suppose I can handle that. ~gets to his feet, casually offering his hand to help the Master up, still seeming in a good mood despite all of the bad~

MASTER:

~lifts himself slowly up into a kneeling position with his arms shaking from the strain, hesitating a moment before thankfully grasping the Doctor’s hand and using it to pull himself up into a semi-balanced standing position, murmuring~ thanks. ~doesn’t seem to want to let go, meeting the Doctor’s gaze and attempting a small smile~

DOCTOR:

~smiles back, though his eyebrows are still furrowed slightly in concern~ I’ll clean out those cuts easy and I’m sure there’s plenty of fun things to do in the TARDIS; I had an arcade at one point, wonder if it’s still there.


	5. Evil Soup

DOCTOR:

~starts to walk further down the hall despite the fact that the medicine room’s in the opposite direction, not trying to remove his hand from the Master’s~ we could do pretty much anything within the TARDIS.

MASTER:

~doesn’t hesitate to start walking with the Doctor, holding the Doctor’s hand more firmly~ I don’t doubt it. ~his gaze is focused on the ground as he walks~

DOCTOR:

~turns the corner easily once he gets to it, speaking~ I dropped Jack off at Torchwood, by the way. ~thinks back, realizing the Master may have overheard their conversation~

MASTER:

I figured as much; he’d be following you around if he were here. ~considers the fact that he only remembers hearing the TARDIS go into flight once~ aren’t we still parked in Torchwood, too?

DOCTOR:

~chuckles lightly at the comment, nodding~ yes; I don’t have any reason to leave though if we stay long we might get people knocking at the door—particularly Gwen, she always seemed rather concerned for me while I was there, even though I lied until I couldn’t.

MASTER:

Jack will know to tell them we don’t really have anywhere important to go. Presumably… ~looks around as they pass the open door to the bedroom, asking~ where are we going?

DOCTOR:

The bathroom; it’s easier to clean cuts with water, especially when the blood’s partially dried. ~answers easily as they approach the bathroom~

MASTER:

~nods, letting the Doctor go ahead and open the door~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room is comfortably spacious; inside there are a few sinks to the right, a bathtub to the left and a shower on the far wall. In between the shower and the bath there’s a doorway that leads off to another smaller room, the whole place seeming to be designed to accommodate multiple people~

DOCTOR:

~grabs a cloth similar to the one he had taken out to use on the Master’s cuts earlier, explaining as he does so and wets it in a sink~ I have some medical supplies scattered throughout the TARDIS; I did take the wounded from battle using the TARDIS.

MASTER:

I thought you stole her and ran off immediately after. ~hesitantly lets the Doctor’s hand slip out of his hold, walking around the Doctor to his left side and leaning back on the counter, looking around the room placidly~

DOCTOR:

I ran off with the TARDIS before the Time War; I joined the war with full access to her the whole time. ~turns to the Master, biting back comments on how he was gone for the last year of the Time War as he attempts to peel the Master’s left sleeve away from his cuts~

MASTER:

~extends his arm slightly to give the Doctor better access to it; his skin is smeared with half-dried blood as his cuts seem deeper than would be expected from a simple shattered glass incident~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t bring up the depth of the cuts, knowing the most likely reason for it and cleaning the cuts and the area around them with practiced motions. Stays focused on his task, seeming unemotional in comparison to how he usually is~

MASTER:

~watches the Doctor’s motions for a few moments, turning his head to the other side and moving his left arm as little as possible as he uses his other hand to turn on the faucet of the second sink, managing to wash most of the blood off of his right palm before turning off the faucet and looking back at his left arm to check the Doctor’s progress~

DOCTOR:

~finishes after a moment, seeming to become reanimated~ there we go! ~throws the bloodied cloth in a nearby bin~ they should heal fine on their own. ~smiles slightly, clearly thankful for the ability to help at least this problem. Meets the Master’s gaze~ so, what do you want to do now?

MASTER:

~doesn’t reply to the Doctor, tilting his head slightly to the side as he brings his right hand—still wet—up to the Doctor’s cheek and smears a bit of watery blood onto his face, watching as a drop of it drips down to the Doctor’s jaw. Gives a small, satisfied smile~ this seems like a rather good opportunity to get a proper washing. ~raises an eyebrow at the mess he made on the Doctor’s cheek, making it obvious that he wants the Doctor to join him~

DOCTOR:

~grins faintly~ that it does. ~takes his tie off, clearly getting the Master’s hardly mistakable message. Wipes some of the Master’s blood off of his face with his hand as it’s not really something he wants on his face before starting to unbutton his suit~

MASTER:

~grins briefly before walking across the room to sit on the edge of the bathtub, watching the Doctor undress with sly satisfaction for a few moments before unzipping his own jumpsuit, pulling his arms out of the sleeves and glancing down at his white Aperture-labeled T-shirt with faint disgust; this having been the first time he’s actually noticed it. Leans down to slide his boots off, carefully setting them upright beside the tub as he sits back up and stretches out his aching feet~

DOCTOR:

~takes his trench coat, suit, and undershirt off, wishing less buttons were involved as it’s irritating to have to unbutton it all, throwing his shoes and socks off, noticing the Master’s distaste in his own clothing~ I don’t know what happened to your clothes but feel free to browse the closet after this if you want.

MASTER:

~pulls the T-shirt over his head, throwing it to the floor and slipping out of the bottom half of his jumpsuit without much hesitance, nodding~ I’ll be sure to do that.

DOCTOR:

~takes his own pants/trousers off, meandering over to the shower to turn it on and let it get hot—though not burning. Realizes visually he’s hardly bruised in comparison to the Master, positive GLaDOS has found out hurting the Master hurts him long ago and trying not to think about it~

MASTER:

~becomes briefly worried about his bandaged wrist as he stands up and notices its presence, dismissing it as he strolls over to stand behind the Doctor, sliding a hand gently but firmly up the Doctor’s back to his shoulder blade as his left hand rests on the Doctor’s hip~

DOCTOR:

~is unable to hold back a smile, not stepping away from where he stands as letting the Master be in control is his default. Brings his left hand up to rest gently over the Master’s~

MASTER:

~nudges the Doctor forward into the shower, his right hand moving up to the back of the Doctor’s head to playfully push him under the stream of water, getting the other Timelord’s hair soaked with the not-yet warm water before stepping into the shower himself~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles lightly, moving so he’s in the stream of water but it’s not directly on his head, his hair looking as if it’s still trying to stick up but can’t under the weight of the water. Washes the Master’s blood fully off of his face and hand easily~

MASTER:

~closes the shower door gently, finishing cleaning the blood off of his right hand with the water and looking up at the Doctor, giving a small, contented smile as he gently rests his hands on the Doctor’s chest, taking a few steps closer to him and coming forward to place a kiss on the Doctor’s collar bone. Would have been more inclined to reach the Doctor’s neck or lips if he’d had the long fall boots on~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, looking contentedly thoughtful as he shampoos his hair and rinses it out, chuckling when he discovers a few leftover sparkles from the rainbow bridge that had apparently clung to his hair~

MASTER:

~seems to remember what his original intention was, finding a bar of soap and washing himself off, nonchalantly letting it get in his cuts and cause stinging pain which he pretends not to notice. When he’s finished with himself he takes the soap and draws on the Doctor’s chest with it, looking at the soap suds in amusement~

DOCTOR:

~looks down at his chest when the Master starts drawing on it with soap, using the soap that slides down from the picture to clean himself, letting the Master draw whatever he’s drawing, now having expected this course of action from the Master but not disliking it~

MASTER:

~doesn’t really have a particular goal in mind for whatever he’s drawing; starts with a slow circle and then just adds random lines at different angles. Sets the soap down and slowly smears the soap already on the Doctor’s chest, feeling carefully along the Doctor’s skin~

DOCTOR:

~manages to clean himself entirely without moving from where he’s standing, letting himself lean into the Master’s hands slightly as water starts to wash the soap off of his chest, seeming thoughtfully distant~

MASTER:

~looks up at the Doctor, pushing him backward into the cold shower wall a little roughly, however his expression remains whimsically content as his hands wander up the Doctor’s chest to his neck, wrapping loosely around it~

DOCTOR:

~instantly snaps out of his thoughtful daze, knowing he probably should have expected this, trying not to let the fact that the Master has the drums intimidate him, giving the Master an almost challenging smile once he gets over his surprise~  


MASTER:

~traces one of his thumbs gently down the Doctor’s throat, grinning back at him slightly as he presses up against the Doctor, as if pointing out how cornered he is~

DOCTOR:

~the gesture makes him realize exactly how vulnerable he is naked and pinned to the wall in a shower by the Master, forcing fear into his expression though he tries to mask it with enjoyment, swallowing back the fear~

MASTER:

~chuckles lightheartedly, becoming more docile and letting go of the Doctor’s throat, instead bringing his hands up to tease the Doctor’s hair into groups of messy, lopsided spikes~

DOCTOR:

~makes his nature change with the Master’s, finding this situation much similar to when he was tied to the tree in the look-alike’s forest. After the Master has spiked his hair a bit, shakes his head, making his hair stick up and out every which way~

MASTER:

~drops his hands to the Doctor’s shoulders, giggling at the ridiculousness of the Doctor’s hair; steps back from the wall and more directly into the stream of water, pulling the Doctor with him into a suddenly passionate kiss~

DOCTOR:

~makes a mildly startled noise that trails off into a light hum, partaking in the kiss almost instantly, bringing his hands to the Master’s sides without really thinking about it. Matches the Master’s passion after a second~

MASTER:

~his hands drift down towards the Doctor’s groin almost naturally, his fingers brushing briefly against the Doctor’s length before he notices and redirects them up to feel around the Doctor’s hips instead, giving him a small, playful nip during a short break in the kiss~

DOCTOR:

~lets himself groan quietly, knowing that the Master can feel if not hear the noise over the shower, his hands travelling the Master’s back~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly around the kiss at the Doctor’s reaction, pressing forward into the Doctor and grinding against him a little~

DOCTOR:

~the action makes another noise somewhere between a moan and a hum escape his throat, unable to bite the noise back while kissing the Master~

MASTER:

~decides he’s rather enjoying the Doctor’s noises, continuing to kiss the Doctor and bringing his hands back down to the Doctor’s length, pleasuring him slowly and carefully~

DOCTOR:

~stops trying to keep himself quiet, humming in needy arousal and pleasure, kissing the Master a little hungrily in comparison to his usual demeanor~

MASTER:

~stops abruptly, knowing it would irritate the Doctor considerable as he breaks the kiss, grinning up at him~ well well, aren’t you a loud one? ~chuckles deviously~

DOCTOR:

~scowls a little playfully though it’s clear he is thoroughly irritated~ I can’t help it, it’s a little hard to bite back noises while kissing you.

MASTER:

~grins slightly, clearly satisfied with the Doctor’s frustration~ alright then. ~comes forward to kiss the Doctor again, beginning to tease him~

DOCTOR:

~his aggravation is evident as he kisses the Master a little roughly, trying not to think about how his submissiveness and trust in the Master could get him in a bad situation, enjoying his current situation despite it all~

MASTER:

~pulls back gently from the kiss, smirking as he brings his hands up to tilt the Doctor’s head back slightly so that he can’t see the Master very well, testing his level of control~

DOCTOR:

~bites his lower lip, forcing himself to comply and stand still though his muscles twitch occasionally, not knowing at all what to expect and therefore a little more than mildly unnerved by his inability to see the Master well~

MASTER:

~keeps one hand at the Doctor’s jaw to firmly hold his head back, the other brushing down the Doctor’s chest lightly as he leans forward and gently kisses the Doctor’s exposed neck, his careful touch bound to be short-lived, as the Master’s method usually goes~

DOCTOR:

~stifles a complaining whine, making himself enjoy it though the Master’s constant change in activity is starting to aggravate him substantially~

MASTER:

~presses his thumb up into the Doctor’s jaw to tilt it back more, straining the Doctor’s neck a little as his other hand reaches down to the Doctor’s length again, starting to tease just as he bites down on the Doctor’s neck, keeping the other Timelord from shying away with his right hand~

DOCTOR:

~a short noise of pain and need escapes his throat, his neck automatically trying to arch away, the Master’s actions making him want to back away and get closer at the same time and leaving his mind a chaotic mess, managing to speak weakly, his tone vaguely playful~ damn you.

MASTER:

~licks his lips and tastes a little blood, having broken the Doctor’s skin and left a reddening bite mark on the side of his neck. Chuckles darkly at the Doctor’s comment, gently stroking him~

DOCTOR:

~swallows back a moan, feeling a stinging pain in the side of his neck and knowing the Master broke skin. Finds he doesn’t have the will to stop the Master, staring at the shower head~

MASTER:

~licks directly over the bite mark he had made, clearing the small amount of blood forming from it and only making the stinging worse for the Doctor. Goes back to gently kissing the Doctor’s neck, letting his left hand move just a little faster~

DOCTOR:

~feels like he wants to have the will to protest, the lack thereof making him feel a little pitiful as his hips buck slightly out of instinct. Remembers how vain attempts of protest have been in the past, making him feel a little more justified in his compliance~

MASTER:

~bites at the Doctor’s neck again, not as hard as last time but almost just as painful; his right hand slackens without the Master noticing, leaving the Doctor room to pull away this time~

DOCTOR:

~is conflicted as to whether or not he wants to pull away but does so on impulse when the pain fully registers in his overly chaotic mind, stepping back and ducking to back away without hurting the Master’s wrist. Looks at the Master, accomplishment, arousal, fear, and pain all evident in his expression~

MASTER:

~lets the Doctor step away, dropping both of his hands and tilting his head slightly to the side almost in mock innocence; seeming to accept the Doctor’s stepping back as the closure of the situation and nonchalantly running a hand through his hair before turning around to turn the shower off~ well, that was fun.

DOCTOR:

~relaxes a little at the Master’s decision to stop, clearly a bit shaken as his mind goes over what just happened. Nods in agreement to the Master to confirm that he did enjoy at least part of it, opening the shower door to walk out and grab a towel~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor out with a smirk he’s unable to hold back, taking a towel from the other side of the shower door and drying himself off, messing his hair up a bit with the towel before wrapping it around his waist and heading over to his clothes~ so; shall we head to the wardrobe next?

DOCTOR:

Yeah. ~dries himself off, unintentionally getting blood on the towel and grimacing when he rubs against the bite to do so, managing to throw his clothes back on fairly quickly, taking a moment to tie his tie~

MASTER:

~leaving his towel on the side of the bath, slips back into the bottom half of his jumpsuit and pulls his t-shirt on, noticing how bloodied they really are and deciding to tie the sleeves of his jumpsuit around his waist instead of putting his arms through them again. Gets into his long fall boots, standing up and walking around a bit to get used to them again~

DOCTOR:

~buttons up his various garments, throwing his converse and trench coat on last before starting to leave the bathroom~ hope you can find something you like—though, you said yourself, I have pretty much everything. ~mentally cringes as he remembers that that was in relation to his leash and collar, which are both still laying on their bed~

MASTER:

~follows close behind, closing the door to the bathroom and walking out into the hallway~ yeah… I should’ve gotten something better to wear while I was there looking for the collar. ~speaks casually and turns left, knowing the wardrobe was past the kitchen and through an archway on the right wall of where the hallway starts to curve to the right~

DOCTOR:

I don’t know; the hoodie suited you pretty well. ~continues walking to the wardrobe as he tries to avoid thinking about the whole collar situation~ though it was a bit… Assassins’ Creed.

MASTER:

~looks at the Doctor with a bemused expression, walking beside him since the long fall boots take away his ability to be sneaky anyway~ Assassin’s Creed?

DOCTOR:

A video game. You’re an assassin and you can be hired for a plethora of jobs requiring skill and stealth and, as the title would indicate, murder. The character you play as has a hood that they put up as to not be recognizes as a hired assassin.

MASTER:

~chuckles to himself~ it’s quite an interesting comparison. ~peers into the wardrobe around the curve of the hallway as they get close enough to see the door~ I didn’t think you’d be the one to actually sit down and play a video game.

DOCTOR:

I get bored. ~opens the door once they get to it~ it’s a bit of a coincidence, really… there are several points in the game where you have to jump from rooftops and you’re perfectly fine as long as you land right. Also, the character you play as perches on things in a way quite similar to you.

MASTER:

I don’t… perch on things. ~a little defensively, walks in and looks around at the circular and multi-leveled room, strolling forward to the spiral staircase in the center and looking upward for a moment before turning around to face the Doctor~ I guess I’ll meet you back here, then.

DOCTOR:

~nods~ okay. And yes; you do, on occasion, sit or perch in a frog-like fashion. Everyone perches on things _sometimes,_ it’s not an insult.

MASTER:

~shrugs dismissively, heading to the other staircase that wraps around the outside of it all, disappearing into the mass of different articles of clothing~

~•~

[00:09:56]

MASTER:

~comes back down the stairs in a dark red suit, with a black shirt and a red, simple-patterned tie underneath; he has his previous clothes slung over his left arm with the boots in his left hand, his other putting something in his pocket as he looks around for the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~hasn’t moved too far from the door beyond pacing slightly, turning to the Master as soon as he realizes he’s come down, looking the Master up and down and smiling in approval~ you really clean up well. ~his smile widens slightly at the casual pun~

MASTER:

Why thank you. ~nods his head slightly with a small smirk, glad to be in an outfit that suits him as his posture shows it~ what should we do with these? ~takes the long fall boots in his right hand and extends his left arm towards the Doctor, as if it’s obvious he’s keeping the boots~

DOCTOR:

I don’t know; black holes are always a fun way to dispose of things… or we could always throw them in that bin and I’ll dispose of them later at some point. ~gestures to a nearby wire mesh bin~

MASTER:

~shrugs a little, walking over to the bin and tossing the clothes inside, pausing a moment before turning around to face the Doctor with a deceiving sort of smile~ could we drop by the kitchen?

DOCTOR:

~furrows his eyebrows a little warily but shakes his head, dismissing the Master’s odd demeanor~ sure; why? ~leans on the wardrobe doorframe casually, waiting for the Master to start toward the kitchen~

MASTER:

~doesn’t hesitate to leave the room, putting his hands in his pockets and explaining as he starts walking the short distance to the kitchen door~ it’s just been a while since we last ate. You should have something, too.

DOCTOR:

~nods; that is a fair point~ okay. ~walks alongside the Master, thinking about the last time he ate—the pizza at Torchwood—and figuring he should still eat something~ I bet all that’s in my stomach right now is liquor and pizza.

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor, raising his eyebrows slightly~ you drank? ~opens the door to the kitchen, heading inside first and leaving the door open for the Doctor; walks over to the counter, facing away from the Doctor as he reaches up into a cabinet~

DOCTOR:

~walks in, subconsciously closing the door behind him~ very little; Jack offered, I didn’t see much of a reason to object given the fact that he wouldn’t make a move on me in his office in Torchwood… though I did discover alcohol and the drums aren’t the best mix. I didn’t hurt anyone, but there’s a reason why he has been so careful around me before he figured out the drums were transferred. ~realizes he did more than answer the question, stopping himself from continuing further~

MASTER:

~decides not to ask any further questions, too focused on what he’s doing as he sets his boots on the floor and pulls out a few bowls from the cabinet, setting them on the counter and heading to the fridge where he retrieves a container of soup along with a pack of scones. Closes the fridge with his foot and walks back over to the bowls, pouring some of the soup into each of them and sticking the bowls in a nearby microwave to heat them up as he moves on to preparing the scones~ how long were you in Torchwood, do you think?

DOCTOR:

Not too long… 9 hours, at the very most, counting the trip with the pod. ~leans on the counter a bit away from where the Master’s working as to not get in his way~ why?

MASTER:

~stops for a moment, looking up at the Doctor~ GLaDOS used the time differentials again. ~focuses downward as he talks, taking out four scones and sliding them into a toaster oven before heading back over to the microwave, putting his hand in his pocket for a moment as he opens the door and takes out one of the bowls~

DOCTOR:

~the statement hits him instantly and he looks concerned for the Master, not paying attention to the food ~ so, I have to ask… why did you run away? ~looks down at the floor, knowing he’s not going to like the answer~

MASTER:

~turns away for a moment to move the soup to a clearer part of the counter, and while his back is turned he crushes up a pill over the bowl from the hand that was previously in his pocket~ I didn’t know what would happen to either of us if you found me, but I was almost certain it wouldn’t be good. ~glances downward, reaching into the microwave for the other bowl and speaking solemnly~ but it was Her who told me to jump.

DOCTOR:

~nods, figuring it’s better not to ask why he listened to Her. Looks at the floor thoughtfully, speaking quietly as if to himself rather than the Master~ I’d have gone mad if I didn’t find you…

MASTER:

~glances at the Doctor, lowering his gaze for a moment and hesitantly handing the drugged bowl of soup to him~ it’s a good thing you came back for me, then. ~opens a nearby drawer, setting a spoon in the soup after realizing the lack of a utensil~

DOCTOR:

Thanks. And yeah… she offered to show me your corpse, the smug bastard. ~eats a spoonful of the soup at the end of his statement, looking down at it in judgement before shrugging and taking another spoonful~

MASTER:

~smiles involuntarily, grabbing his bowl and a spoon for himself as he walks around the Doctor to get the scones out of the toaster, taking one and biting into it triumphantly, leaning back on the counter and watching the Doctor while trying not to show his rising levels of excitement~

DOCTOR:

~raises an eyebrow at the Master’s gleefulness~ what’s got you in such a good mood? Not that I’m complaining. ~continue to eat the evil soup~

MASTER:

~shrugs exaggeratedly, with just a hint of sarcasm~ not sure. ~dips the scone in his soup and takes another bite, stepping away from the toaster and gesturing to the other three biscuits~ want one?

DOCTOR:

Sure. ~walks over easily, taking a biscuit and eating it with his soup as he leans back on the counter not far from the scones~ did I ever tell you how I met Jack? He was a space-time con artist back then.

MASTER:

~shakes his head slightly, patiently waiting for the sedatives to take effect as he has another spoonful of soup~ was he trying to sell you something?

DOCTOR:

Yes but not to me; Rose ran into him first. Jack had brought a ship of sorts to the London Blitz for his con but, though he thought it was empty, microscopic aliens caused a pretty big problem which I took care of. He showed me up a bit too frequently for my liking. ~seems to grow drowsy, still eating but a little slower~

MASTER:

~nods a little~ I think you said something about the London Blitz when we went to Torchwood after you lost your memory. ~starts glancing around a bit in thought, smiling as he eats his biscuit absentmindedly~

DOCTOR:

~finishes his scone with the soup, looking extraordinarily drowsy. He seems suddenly startled as his legs give out underneath him, leaving him to fall to the floor, dropping the bowl in the process and hearing it hit the ground before going unconscious~

MASTER:

~grins widely and laughs as the Doctor falls, already starting to advance towards him~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the TARDIS’s rocking and familiar noises of flight wake the Doctor from his state of unconsciousness, the lights of the console room seeming a little blurry at first. The Doctor is sitting on the ground, situated at the base of one of the choral struts closer to the exit door, with his arms cuffed together uncomfortably around the circumference of the column, and his tie is tightly bound around his face, serving as a gag~

MASTER:

~is by the console, grinning madly as he flies the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~instantly tries to run towards the Master, ending up exactly how he started, having only achieved making it clear he’s conscious. Makes a muffled noise that was most likely meant to be a statement, looking at the Master in a mixture of fear and worry. Thinks to the TARDIS that he’s okay, figuring she must be at least a little unnerved~

TARDIS:

~replies with more than a little panic~

MASTER:

~lands her and turns to the Doctor, folding his arms and putting on a smug grin~ hello; nice to see you’re awake.

DOCTOR:

~more muffled noises that were likely once a sentence come from him as he asks the TARDIS where they are~

TARDIS:

~informs him that they seem to be above Aperture, most likely very close if not in the town of Eaden~

MASTER:

~tilts his head to the side mockingly, strolling towards the TARDIS doors~ what was that, Doctor?

TARDIS:

~begins to panic slightly more, remembering the threat GLaDOS made in case one of them leaves Her supervision~

DOCTOR:

~tries to get off of the column, his cuffs jingling and clanking from the varied amounts of strain. He keeps trying to talk to the Master, now in that rushed but not loud tone he speaks in when trying to argue or make his point without yelling~

MASTER:

~pauses thoughtfully, watching the Doctor for a few seconds and becoming curious as to what he actually has to say, walking over and sliding the makeshift gag down to rest around the Doctor’s neck, looking down at him with an emotionless expression~

DOCTOR:

~speaks immediately~ thank you. As I was saying, don’t go out there. If you or me leave the TARDIS GLaDOS will hurt her and—probably more important to you—make it so we can’t fly her. ~meets the Master’s hauntingly blank gaze as he speaks~ and whatever you’re doing you’re going to regret it like all of the other crap you’ve pulled and I shouldn’t have even let you take the drums back. I’m sorry.

MASTER:

~stares back at the Doctor, seeming unaffected by his apology at first glance but almost apologetic with a second look, turning on his heel and continuing to walk towards the exit~ who said I regretted anything else I’ve done? ~grins out of cold malice, opening the doors with a flourish and stepping outside~

TARDIS:

~almost immediately dims, mentally cringing in anguish and begging the Master to come back~

DOCTOR:

Master! ~tearing up, tries to think of some way to get the Master to come back, yelling~ come back, please! You don’t want to do this; it’s the drums! ~looks up into the TARDIS~ GLaDOS! Don’t hurt her, the Master will come back!

MASTER:

~slams the doors shut unnecessarily~

TARDIS:

~her pain slackens when the Doctor makes his request, however she still desperately reaches out to the Master to request for his return~

DOCTOR:

GLaDOS. You can’t punish the TARDIS for this; it’s entirely the Master’s fault and hurting her doesn’t hurt him, only me and her. The drums suck the humanity from the Master, he won’t feel sorry for this until they’re gone. ~pauses, glancing at the doors~ I don’t dare imagine what he’s doing to those in Eaden…

GLaDOS:

*no, just wait… I think you might be wrong.* ~sounds intrigued~

TARDIS:

~relaxes a little, her pain seeming to lessen to manageable levels~

GLaDOS:

*Remember, there’s a camera outside of the TARDIS, too.*

DOCTOR:

~looks at the door, his gaze locked onto it, wondering exactly what he was wrong about as he goes quiet, mentally making sure the TARDIS is okay~

MASTER:

~only about three minutes later, the Master pushes back inside the TARDIS and her pain ceases, out of breath although he tries to hide it by breathing quietly, running a hand through his hair to clear out a bit of dust before heading directly over to the console, not making eye contact with the Doctor at all~

DOCTOR:

Master…? ~looks at the other Timelord more out of confused curiosity than fear or despair, thinking through recent events and gaining a sort of intrigue himself despite being a little mad at himself for seeing how GLaDOS could be interested by this~

MASTER:

~gives the Doctor a sharp glare, setting the coordinates into the TARDIS and pulling the lever roughly, speaking threateningly over the sound of takeoff~ I _will_ gag you again if I have to.

TARDIS:

~is clearly distressed by the Master flying her while he’s like this~

DOCTOR:

~goes silent at the threat, mentally comforting the TARDIS as much as he can when he’s equally unnerved, looking at the floor where he sits, trying to make sense of things~

MASTER:

~glances over at the Doctor while he’s focused on the ground, letting himself give a small, unnoticed apologetic look before turning back to look at the console, tweaking controls as need be until the TARDIS lands. Turns around and leans back on the rim of the console, looking at the Doctor again, but this time with a smug grin~ I’ve quite missed tying you up, Doctor.

DOCTOR:

~looks up from the floor at the Master~ you know, sometimes I wondered if you were insecure and did this to feel strong; but now I know that it’s not that. It’s not humane or graceful or beautiful like I thought it might be. The drums just majorly messed you up and that was it. ~knows he’s practically asking to be punished as he faces the Master~ the drums just screw people up.

MASTER:

~looks genuinely hurt for a brief moment, even beginning to tear up slightly but he quickly covers it with one of his deceivingly sweet smiles, stealthily striding over and crouching down in front of the Doctor. Out of sudden spite he reaches forward and shoves the Doctor by his throat back into the column, choking him and glaring at him~ I, am _not,_ screwed up. ~his tone becomes more gentle~ I just-… ~his grip slackens and he glances downward, still pinning the Doctor but allowing him a little room to breathe~

DOCTOR:

~pants, looking at the Master in fear, his voice quiet and timid~ I’m sorry. ~the apology is genuine though fear doesn’t leave his expression. Seems like he has more to say, figuring it best to keep his mouth shut now~

MASTER:

~lowers his head and his hand slips away from the Doctor’s throat shakily but gently, and he breathes in a wavering breath before standing up suddenly, avoiding eye contact with the Doctor as he hesitates for a moment, then reaches down to pull the tie back up over the Doctor’s mouth. Meets the Doctor’s gaze after he’s been properly gagged again~ apology accepted. ~seems halfheartedly arrogant and hostile in his tone~

DOCTOR:

~resists rolling his eyes at the Master’s façade, knowing the situation is serious no matter how clear it is to him that it’s still his Master and the Master still cares, muttering under his breath though the tie muffles it so his comment is hardly audible~

MASTER:

~smirks genuinely, the Doctor’s vulnerable situation making it easier to go through with things the way he’s planned when less pretending is involved. Sits down a few feet away from the Doctor, crossing his legs and rummaging around in his right pocket, pulling out a mixture of pills, tablets and small syringes, spreading them out in front of him and looking through them as if to tease and intimidate the Doctor as he grins a little~

DOCTOR:

~his eyes flick across the medications, trying desperately to identify them, getting the idea that he might end up spending more time then he thought cuffed to this column. Finds it rather difficult to identify the pills from the distance~

MASTER:

You know what makes this more fun? ~looks up at the Doctor with a wider grin, selecting a pill at random and holding up in his hand~ these pills don’t have individual labels… I don’t know which is which.

DOCTOR:

~leans back against the column, trying to remember all the types of medicines he had, knowing some of them could cause his situation to become extremely unfortunate. Has plenty to say though he doesn’t event try to speak this time, looking at the Master in anticipation~

MASTER:

~sets the pill back down with the others, obviously excited by the situation although he holds himself back~ what, nothing to say? ~fingers one of the syringes~

DOCTOR:

~bites the inside of his cheek, rolling his eyes at the statement to mask his steadily growing fear, sitting with nothing to do but wait for the Master to do something to him~

MASTER:

~decidedly picks up the syringe, getting up and crouching down again only a few inches from the Doctor’s face; grinning as he brushes the sharp edge along the Doctor’s neck to further raise levels of anticipation. A few moments later he jabs it into the Doctor’s neck, administering the medication before pulling out the empty syringe and sitting back to observe the results~

DOCTOR:

~furrows his eyebrows in focus to try and determine what the Master had injected him with, not seeming to take too long to figure it out and starting to shake considerably, looking at the Master and wanting to explain exactly why though the damn tie’s in his way, panting lightly~

MASTER:

~smiles in satisfaction, getting up and looking at the medications for a moment before turning to the Doctor and briefly raising his pointer finger~ I’ll be right back. ~strides out to the exit, leaving the TARDIS although she doesn’t seem to be in pain because of it~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t bother yelling after the Master, being a little preoccupied as is, shaking but simultaneously reassuring the TARDIS that he’s alright, finding comfort in communication. Leans forward slightly, resting his forehead on his knees~

TARDIS:

~she replies doubtfully, noting to herself that he’s shaking quite a lot~


	6. Status Change

MASTER:

~returns a few minutes later with a little twirl as he enters the TARDIS and closes the doors behind him, striding over to the Doctor and looking down at him triumphantly with his arms crossed~ how’re you holding up?

DOCTOR:

~replies tough he knows the Master can’t understand his statement, looking up at the Master shakily with pain evident in his expression. Realizes after the fact that looking at the Master won’t do anything for him but ensure the Master’s position, hoping after the thought that none of the drugs splayed out before him are hallucinogenic~

MASTER:

~amused, reaches down and pulls off the gag again if for no other reason than to hear the Doctor’s pain as well as see it, smiling widely~

DOCTOR:

It’s… an exaggerated s-stimul-l-lant… i-if you were won-… wondering. ~his voice is hoarse and shaky and it clearly takes effort to be understandable~

MASTER:

Nice to know. ~grins briefly, looking down at the rest of the medications~ all of these are relatively small dosages, so they shouldn’t last long.

DOCTOR:

~nods, confirming the statement and chuckling slightly at his own misfortune~ unfortunately or fortunately for me… h-heart rates don’t t-tend to inst-stantly lower themselves… I-I’d probably be okay b-by now if-…if that were the case.

MASTER:

~looks down at the Doctor in thought for a moment before getting down onto his knees in front of the other Timelord, smirking as he brings his right hand to the Doctor’s face, gently caressing his cheek while his left hand brushes down the Doctor’s chest, feeling for his heartbeat. Leans closer, tenderly placing a kiss on the Doctor’s lips~

DOCTOR:

~whimpers slightly, the Master’s closeness only worsening his heart rate problem though he doesn’t necessarily want the Master to back off. Finds himself thinking about how pitiful he is right now, tied up with a terribly high heart rate causing pain throughout his body~

MASTER:

~senses the Doctor’s accelerated heart rate, smiling with satisfaction at how well his idea had worked and deciding to come forward for another, longer and gentle kiss~

DOCTOR:

~winces in pain, letting himself kiss the Master back weakly despite the fact that he’s shaking out of adrenaline and pain, already having forgiven the Master for everything he has done and is about to do~

MASTER:

~pulls back, smiling happily and bringing his left hand up under the Doctor’s chin, lifting his head back slightly before standing up again and heading over to where he left the other medications, crouching down to put them all back in his pocket except for one pill~

DOCTOR:

~lets his head rest in the position the Master put it in and panting heavily~ bastard. ~looks at the Master, the weak insult clearly meant for him~

MASTER:

You’re hardly in a position to be calling me names. ~picks up the remaining pill, walking over to the Doctor and forcing it into his mouth, keeping the Doctor from spitting it out by cupping a hand over the Doctor’s face~ now, you can either swallow it or choke on it; your choice.

DOCTOR:

~holds it in his mouth for a moment, deciding now’s not the time to be egotistically stubborn and swallowing the pill obediently, hoping his heart rate goes down a bit before the pill takes effect~

MASTER:

Good boy. ~takes his hand off of the Doctor’s mouth, gently patting his head a few times and turning to walk over to the console to send her into flight~

DOCTOR:

~bites his lip against the diminishing act, watching the Master walk back before resting his head back on his knees, not hiding his face so he can keep tabs on the Master’s whereabouts~

MASTER:

~starts messing with things on the console after the TARDIS lands~

TARDIS:

~becomes concerned and uncomfortable as he tweaks the controls as well as other things that aren’t usually tweaked~

MASTER:

~crouches down and peers underneath the console, feeling around in there as well~

DOCTOR:

I swear, if you rewire her again I will leave you on mock-Gallifrey! ~knows he’s in no position to make threats, hoping that there’s a part of the Master that doesn’t want to risk it though he really doesn’t intend to act on the threat anyway~

MASTER:

Would you really? ~calls back to the Doctor smugly, knowing that the chances of him being left behind by the Doctor are almost nonexistent. Turns around to pry at the grated floor, lifting it up and pushing a piece of it to the side; he jumps down into the deeper workings of the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~hesitates to respond, simply cursing under his breath and casting his gaze to the floor, mentally apologizing to the TARDIS for not being able to stop the Master~

TARDIS:

~she accepts his apology, interrupted by a spark of brief surprise as the console room goes dark, powering down in a way that renders her incapable of flying as well as sending or receiving any signal~

DOCTOR:

~glances around the room, not trusting the Master with the drums in his head let alone in the dark when he’s cuffed to a column ingesting unknown medication~

MASTER:

~clattering comes from under the grated floor where the Master last was, and after a few moments he climbs back out and slides the piece of floor back into its original spot. He walks over to the Doctor with audible footsteps, continuing around the column and opening one side of the Doctor’s handcuffs~

DOCTOR:

~separates his hands the second he can, standing and stumbling away from the pillar, ending up leaning against the railing on one side of the path to the TARDIS door, finding that his heart rate is decreasing relatively quickly despite the situation and wondering what the hell he swallowed~

MASTER:

~is quickly behind the Doctor on the other side of the railing, cuffing the Doctor’s hands behind him again but not around anything that keeps him anchored in one place. He stays close behind the Doctor, not speaking, as if ready to support him should he fall~

DOCTOR:

~tries to take a step away, clearly unstable as he immediately leans back on the railing, feeling as if he’s falling though he isn’t as the pain that had been coursing through his body a moment ago diminishes. Collapses after another moment, looking disoriented and afraid~

MASTER:

~fails to catch the Doctor, looking at him for a moment before walking around him to get to the door, opening it slightly in order to let a bit of light into the TARDIS for him to see better. Kneels down beside the Doctor, turning the other Timelord’s head to the side and letting it limply roll back to its original position~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master, unable to do much else. Tries to get up or even slither away but finds himself unable to move beyond blinking and breathing, realizing the weight of his situation in fear~

MASTER:

~takes the Doctor by his shoulders and pulls him into a semi-upright position, standing up and continuing to support him as he pushes the door open further with his foot. Drags the Doctor out of the TARDIS, resting him face-up on the ground in between blades of waving red grass, looking at him apologetically for a moment~ I’m not going to leave. ~turns and walks back into the TARDIS, closing the door~

DOCTOR:

~lays there, grateful for the Master’s reassurance though confused as he could have sworn that they had been landed in Eaden, figuring he could have just been distracted by adrenaline and pain. Closes his eyes against the sunlight as he awaits the Master’s return~

~•~

MASTER:

~the Master opens the door again after enough time has passed for the Doctor’s medication to begin wearing off, seeming exasperated and a little defeated as he steps out and glances back into the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~rolls onto his side with a good deal of effort, looking at the Master and speaking in a strained, quiet voice~ what was that all about?

MASTER:

~looks back at the Doctor, hesitating before closing the door behind him and leaning back on it, looking around at the scenery in thought~ I figured out how to bypass GLaDOS’ rule.

DOCTOR:

~seems to get it near instantly, his voice coming more clearly~ shut the TARDIS down, get rid of any and all signals going in and out; like a powerless radio station. Right?

MASTER:

Yeah. She can’t reach me either if I’m far enough away. ~looks downward and folds his arms, seeming a bit angered but not at the Doctor~ the downside is we can’t fly unless we power her back up, and there’s bound to be consequences if we connect back to GLaDOS.

DOCTOR:

Well I could always play desperate innocent with Her; she seems more human than before and humans, though I hate to do it, are easy to lie to. ~chuckles slightly~ though I don’t think I’ll feel bad about lying to _her._

MASTER:

~shrugs~ you can do that if you like. I’m not going to pull off a desperate innocent. ~speaks more like he knows he’s incapable of it and less like he doesn’t want to~

DOCTOR:

I’m fine with that… you don’t think GLaDOS lightened up on the TARDIS because she saw you coming back, do you? ~tries to get up, almost succeeding but falling back and sitting up, not trying to get up again~

MASTER:

What? ~glances over at the Doctor, looking confused at the unexpected question and unaffected by the Doctor’s attempts to stand~

DOCTOR:

You had left the TARDIS, giving GLaDOS a reason to hurt her. I couldn’t get you to come back and I wasn’t going to sit there and not do anything, so I begged. I can be persuasive when I want to be.

MASTER:

~raises and eyebrow, looking down at the Doctor, noticing the fact that he’s been cuffed and gagged and hasn’t once asked the Master to unbind him let alone persuade him to do so~

DOCTOR:

~realizes how this could relate to his current situation after a moment of meeting the Master’s gaze in confusion, looking to the ground as he tries to think up an excuse, failing~

MASTER:

~chuckles at the Doctor’s silence, turning around and opening the TARDIS doors, walking inside the dimly lit console room and leaving the doors open. Turns around to face the Doctor after a moment~ we’ll be able to stay here for a while as long as the lack of power isn’t a problem.

DOCTOR:

Yeah… ~tries to hide his discomfort, failing. Manages to get up without much awkward flailing, feeling accomplished in the fact that he got up with his hands still cuffed behind him, smiling slightly though he is still cuffed and stuck with the Master on an uninhabited planet~

MASTER:

~folds his arms again, watching the Doctor as he gets up and gesturing for him to come inside, a little confused as to why he’s smiling~ come on, I’ve not finished with you yet. ~grins slightly~

DOCTOR:

~looks hesitant as he obediently follows the Master, careful not to trip as it would be hard to stop himself from falling on his face~

MASTER:

~walks over, passing the Doctor to close the doors before turning around to confront the other Timelord, pushing him back into the railing and meeting his gaze as his hands feel up the Doctor’s neck and face, being overly invasive in order to test the Doctor’s tolerance; knows he can’t do much about it except try to step away~

DOCTOR:

~lets the Master feel up his face and neck, not doing much besides moving his head back slightly in protest, knowing there’s a high chance trying to get away won’t work well for him~

MASTER:

~lets one hand slide down to the base of the Doctor’s neck, pressing roughly into the bite mark he had made as his other hand reaches up and grabs the Doctor’s hair, grinning a little at the Doctor’s discomfort~

DOCTOR:

~grimaces, not breaking eye contact though he’s starting to feel like a cat’s plaything as he tries to calculate the Master’s next move, failing to do so~

MASTER:

~satisfied with the Doctor’s pained response, lets his hand move back up to the Doctor’s face and push his cheek inward slightly as the other drifts down to the tie around the Doctor’s neck, gradually pulling at it with more force and consequently straining the Doctor’s neck~

DOCTOR:

~seems thoroughly distressed by the action, grateful for the lack of stimulants left in his system as he’s sure it would make this far worse than it currently is~

MASTER:

~suddenly seems to realize something, his eyes widening slightly and he lets go of the tie, leaving a bit of an ache in the Doctor’s neck~ oh! I nearly forgot. Stay right there; I’ve got a surprise for you. ~backs off, smiling and waiting a moment before heading over to the console, walking around to the far side~ it’d help if you closed your eyes.

DOCTOR:

Wha-… ~looks at the Master in fearful confusion for a moment before shaking his head and closing his eyes~ fine, fine… they’re closed. ~stays where he was told, wondering what he’s gotten himself into this time~

MASTER:

~walks back over to the Doctor audibly, standing in front of him for a moment of possible hesitance before coming forward and kissing the Doctor gently, at the same time wrapping something thick and leathery around the Doctor’s neck, latching it in place before bringing his hands up to the Doctor’s face, leaning into him and becoming more passionate~

DOCTOR:

~kisses the Master back more than willingly, knowing that the thick object is likely to be a collar of sorts though he doesn’t particularly mind, starting to meet the Master’s passion~

MASTER:

~pulls away hesitantly in order to see what he’s doing as he unties the Doctor’s tie, tucking the familiar collar and leash partially under the Doctor’s shirt collar, properly tying the tie back where it’s supposed to go and tucking it under the Doctor’s suit jacket. Smiles up at the Doctor when he finishes~

DOCTOR:

~opens his eyes when the Master breaks the kiss, not protesting as the other Timelord fixes his tie and collar and letting himself meet the Master’s gaze, smiling back slightly despite himself, knowing exactly how wrong it is to enjoy this though he shouldn’t care what others may think especially when there’s no one else around~

MASTER:

Well? ~rotates the collar slightly so it rubs against the Doctor’s neck a little~ what do you think? ~seems made more happy by the fact that the Doctor smiled back~

DOCTOR:

I _think,_ I like it a bit too much. ~gives a little bit of a grin, meeting the Master’s gaze without faltering. Likes the feeling that for once they’re actually alone—though the TARDIS is more asleep than gone and GLaDOS is sure to return~

MASTER:

~excitedly comes forward and gives the Doctor another brief kiss, grinning afterward~ good. ~steps back and turns the Doctor around, unlocking both of his cuffs and freeing his hands~ you don’t need these anymore.

DOCTOR:

~separates his hands, bringing them in front of him before turning back around to face the Master~ ah, thank you. Those were getting to be a bit of a nuisance. ~realizes that by “nuisance” he means “a bloody terrifying handicap”, feeling around his wrists subconsciously~

MASTER:

Although, ~raises his eyebrows slightly, lifting the handcuffs suggestively before sliding them into his pocket~ I’m still keeping them, just in case. ~strides away from the Doctor and towards the console again, looking over the dead controls and searching in between them for something~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master with a confused expression, strolling over and making a mental note of the Master having the cuffs~ what’re you looking for? ~the question sounds a little like an accusation though he hadn’t meant for it to be one~

MASTER:

~pauses and gives the Doctor a scolding glance for his tone before replying~ just checking for anything I might’ve missed. ~goes back to his task; shrugs dismissively when he doesn’t come across anything he finds interesting~

DOCTOR:

Okay. ~still doesn’t really understand the Master’s actions though he knows it’s best not to question things too much when the Master has syringes, pills, and handcuffs in his pockets~

MASTER:

I _am_ still working towards getting out of this. ~turns around to face the Doctor speaking softly as he watches his right hand drift up the Doctor’s chest, fingering the Doctor’s lead and pulling on it just slightly, waiting a moment before meeting the Doctor’s gaze~ just in case you were wondering.

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the Master, thinking this all might work out if in a 50-shades-of-grey sort of way, speaking quietly but enthusiastically~ and when we’re free we can do whatever we want. The last of the Timelords… ~trails off, finding himself using the term he always used to describe how alone he was, almost tearing up at it given he doesn’t have to be alone anymore~

MASTER:

~rests his other hand on the Doctor’s cheek, brushing his thumb against the Doctor’s skin as he smiles, allowing himself to speculate about actually regaining freedom, the thought seeming almost unreal at this point~ I’d say we’d have earned it.

DOCTOR:

I’d say in a perfect universe it wouldn’t have to be fought for. ~looks thoughtful for a moment, bringing a hand to rest over the Master’s on his cheek~ how do you think we got there?

MASTER:

~glances downward in thought, trying to remember~ well… the last thing I remember was attacking Rassilon as the time lock was closing back up. ~lets go of the Doctor’s lead, looking at his hands as he turns it over and flexes his fingers~ I could shoot lightning from my hands. That was cool.

DOCTOR:

You were also draining your life force, and that was bloody terrifying… and I was supposed to die… ~looks at the Master, it clearly taking him a bit of effort to dig up the memories he still hadn’t retrieved from the memory wipe incident~

MASTER:

Well, neither of us died, fortunately. ~looks up to meet the Doctor’s gaze, steering his thoughts away from past events and grinning slightly as he slips his hand out from under the Doctor’s, holding his leash with both hands and gently pulling the Doctor downward by his neck with a constant amount of pressure~

DOCTOR:

~lets his own hand fall to his side, his head dipping down in an attempt to lessen the pressure though he knows that the action won’t actually do anything for him as far as pressure on his neck goes~

MASTER:

~gets a better hold further up on the Doctor’s leash and continues pulling, tilting his head to the side slightly as he watches the Doctor closely for his reactions~

DOCTOR:

~tries to just endure and hold up to the pressure, soon feeling as if that’s not the best plan as his neck starts to ache, hesitantly bringing his hand up to the base of the leash, not attempting to unlatch it but pulling up on it to cancel out the Master’s force~

MASTER:

~seems determined now, letting go with one hand to press down on the Doctor’s shoulder as his right hand inches up the leash, prying the Doctor’s hand away and pulling on his collar with a little more force than before~

DOCTOR:

~tries to just stay as is once again, slowly being pulled down, figuring after a second that he shouldn’t risk resisting the Master over something so small as getting down and getting on his knees while looking at the Master, his neck and shoulder aching from the strain~

MASTER:

~smiles down at the Doctor, letting the leash slip through his hand until it reaches the end where he hooks his fingers through the loop, using his left hand to soothingly massage the strain out of the Doctor’s shoulder~ there we go.

DOCTOR:

~expresses his distaste for the action though he doesn’t try to get up or pull away, meeting the Master’s gaze in indignant irritation~

MASTER:

~gently pets the Doctor’s head, brushing his hair back and causing it to fluff up more than usual, stepping a little close and the movement of the leash makes it jingle slightly and he fails to hold back a grin~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t cease to meet the Master’s gaze, knowing that looking away is a sign of fear and submission, neither of which he’ll willingly admit, losing hope for his situation in the Master’s grin~

MASTER:

~admires the Doctor’s tenacity despite the situation, putting a hand in his pocket and taking out another pill, shortening the lead in order to have a better hold on the Doctor should he move away. Offers it up like one would give a treat to a dog, wondering if the Doctor will take it from his hand but figuring it’s not likely, prepared to force feed him like last time if he doesn’t~

DOCTOR:

~takes the pill out of the Master’s hand with his own, putting it in his mouth before the Master can assume he’s trying to be rid of it and swallowing the pill, determined to do things out of free will without acting like a trained animal~

MASTER:

~gives a small chuckle, quite amused by the Doctor’s obedient yet still defiant actions. Turns slightly to indicate he’s about to go somewhere, giving the Doctor’s leash a gentle tug before letting go of it, figuring he shouldn’t try to diminish _all_ of the Doctor’s pride in one place~

DOCTOR:

~stands to walk, following the Master easily as if there’s nothing wrong with this situation, still keeping his gaze from falling to the floor out of determination~

MASTER:

~walks out into the hallway, turning left with an excited grin, glancing back at the Doctor every now and then to check his location as he makes his way around the corner~

DOCTOR:

~meanders slightly in his walk, trying to focus on figuring out what the pill he ate does, monitoring himself as he follows the Master~

MASTER:

~slows down slightly in order to walk closer to the Doctor, taking the leash in his hand again when they reach the darkened bedroom and pulling the Doctor inside with him, not bothering to close the door as he turns the Doctor around and pushes him backwards into the bed with his hands at the Doctor’s waist~

DOCTOR:

~feels as if this can’t end well as he’s forced into the bed with the Master’s hands on his waist, thinking about the time the Master’s heels dug mercilessly into his sides, trying to avoid the train of thought but not succeeding, making his fear visible in his expression~

MASTER:

~leans forward, grinning down at the Doctor and pushing him further up onto the bed, getting onto the bed as well in order to straddle the Doctor~ have you figured out what the pill does yet?

DOCTOR:

~glances around the room at presumably nothing though for him shadows are starting to move around the walls, meeting the Master’s gaze again after a second and realizing nothing’s actually moving, his eyes widening~ hallucinogens.

MASTER:

~chuckles darkly~ then this should be quite interesting. ~leans down and tilts his head to the side, gnawing at the side of the Doctor’s neck although his playful nips seem more violent to the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~watches something on the ceiling in fear, grimacing though in reality the Master’s actions shouldn’t be hurting him much~

MASTER:

~his hands drift up the Doctor’s chest, one tugging at the Doctor’s leash and the other pulling apart the buttons of the Doctor’s suit jacket as he brings his head back up to look down at the other Timelord~ what are you seeing? ~speaks softly~

DOCTOR:

~tenses but relaxes again after a second as if re-realizing the only other living thing in the room is the Master, shaking his head at the question, it clearly taking effort to keep his voice steady~ well at first the shadows were just moving a bit, typical first stage hallucination, but now there are cords lining the room and I’m pretty sure—yeah, they’re stained in blood… oh and Jack’s over there not doing anything… I don’t know why, he’s just kind of standing there looking at nothing in particular- ~looks back at the ceiling, tearing up slightly but blinking it back~

MASTER:

~leans down to give the Doctor a careful, reassuring kiss, meeting his gaze afterward~ you’ll be fine. ~brushes a hand gently down the side of the Doctor’s face, rolling off of him after a moment and harshly ordering~ get up.

DOCTOR:

~the Master’s reassurance doesn’t seem to comfort the Doctor as his mind twists the statement to be comparable to the dream Master’s “it’ll be fine… just watch.” Gets up despite the fact that the bed feels safer than anywhere else from what he’s seeing~

MASTER:

~pulls the Doctor’s trench coat off of his shoulders as he stands up, looking up at the Doctor with a wide smirk as he tosses the coat to the side, speaking in a silky voice~ now… how about you take off your clothes? ~watches the Doctor intently, knowing how uncomfortable this must make him~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master like he’s the most out-of-place thing he’s seeing, his voice weak and high-pitched in nervousness~ w-what!? Sorry, I’m hearing things as well; what!?

MASTER:

~sighs lightly, patiently standing and walking over to the Doctor to speak into his ear~ I want you, ~his voice becomes unmistakably serious and a little menacing~ _to strip._ ~moves back slightly, holding the Doctor’s face and turning it towards him to see his expression and make sure the Doctor had understood him fully~

DOCTOR:

~swallows back a sick feeling before speaking~ a-and… if I don’t? ~tries to keep his stubborn sense of pride, his willpower for doing so deteriorating fast~

MASTER:

~smiles a little, in that gently, mockingly-sympathetic kind of way~ then I’ll do it myself, and I won’t play nice after I’ve finished. ~speaks sweetly, looking the Doctor’s expression up and down before letting go of his jaw~ maybe I’ll give you another pill, too. For good measure. ~takes a step back, folding his arms and watching the Doctor expectantly~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master, knowing his best option is to comply as he brings a hand up to fully unbutton his blue suit and toss it to the side into what he knows isn’t really a puddle of blood, but the floor; continuing to his undershirt and throwing that on top of his suit. Sets his shoes next to the pile before hesitantly removing his trousers and setting them in the same general area~

MASTER:

~grins, watching the Doctor carefully the entire time and looking him up and down when he’s finished with satisfaction, taking a step forward to get close to the Doctor~ good. ~looks up at him, smiling triumphantly as he entwines the Doctor’s lead around his right arm, pulling it taut but not straining the Doctor’s neck~

DOCTOR:

~stands almost perfectly still, his eyes locked onto the Master though part of his anxiety is being caused by hallucinatory cords that slither over his feet and occasionally threaten to coil up his legs, wishing his hallucinatory imagination would just stop given how bad the situation is considering only the real world~

MASTER:

~meets the Doctor’s gaze, silently daring him to look away as he places his left hand on the Doctor’s chest, his touch a little cold against the Doctor’s skin~ tell me… ~gently tugs once on the lead~ do you want me to stop?

DOCTOR:

Depends… stop what, exactly? ~doesn’t glance away, mostly because the Master’s one of the only things in the room he’s sure is real~

MASTER:

~smiles in contented amusement, lifting the Doctor’s chin up slightly with a few fingers~ controlling you. ~brings his hand back down to the Doctor’s chest, feeling across his collar bone and grazing against the leather around the Doctor’s neck, rotating it slightly~

DOCTOR:

~clenches his jaw, hating the fact that he can’t respond “yes” with immediate certainty, looking at the Master as if he gave him an impossible verbal puzzle~

MASTER:

~chuckles, stepping back to allow the Doctor to move around more easily~ alright then. ~glances behind him briefly as a way of gesturing to the bed, smiling~ go lay down, now. ~lets go of the leash~

DOCTOR:

~hesitantly tense, walks around the Master and lays on his side on the bed, feeling as if he’s somewhere between a loved pet, a slave, and prey~

MASTER:

~turns and pulls off his shoes before climbing onto the bed, laying on his side at the Doctor’s back and propping his head up with his elbow as he looks down at the Doctor, gently brushing his hand across the Doctor’s shoulder and drifting down to his side. Peers around at the Doctor to look him in the eye, sounding concerned for him~ how’re the hallucinations?

DOCTOR:

Unnerving and memory-laden. ~stares at what seems like nothing, closing his eyes and flinching as one would at a loud, sudden noise, opening his eyes again and shaking his head slightly before looking back at the Master~ I’m okay.

MASTER:

~brings his arms up and around the Doctor, enveloping him protectively despite his claim to being alright, resting his head gently on the Doctor’s as he soothingly strokes the Doctor’s hair, letting his own eyes close~

DOCTOR:

~relaxes slightly, not knowing how the Master manages to comfort him despite the Master’s recent behavior. Tries not to flinch again at what he’s hearing, closing his eyes to at least not have to see his hallucinations~

MASTER:

~opens his eyes again slightly, smiling a little at how the Doctor had relaxed in response to his actions. His hand slowly slides down the Doctor’s chest and stomach, reaching his lower abdomen and beginning to lightly stroke the Doctor’s length as he starts gently kissing his way up the Doctor’s neck~

DOCTOR:

~makes an incomprehensible noise out of simultaneously pleasant and unpleasant overstimulation, his back arching slightly into the Master. Seems extremely emotionally conflicted, still not opening his eyes though he hardly trusts the Master right now~

MASTER:

~pulls the Doctor closer to himself in response to his arched back, reaching further down in order to stroke him all the way from base to tip. Wraps his whole hand around the Doctor’s length, increasing the amount of pleasure he gives to the Doctor rather quickly as he gives the Doctor’s ear a small nibble~

DOCTOR:

~moans lightly in response, knowing part of the reason why the Master’s being gentle is his obedience though he can pretend the Master’s gentle pleasuring isn’t part of the game, not particularly caring about the undignified way he got here anyway at the moment~

MASTER:

~stops kissing his neck for a moment to speak softly into the Doctor’s ear~ you’ve been very good, Doctor. I’m pleased. ~speeds up just slightly, nuzzling the back of the Doctor’s head~

DOCTOR:

~hums in pleasure, realizing the Master’s winning when he smiles at the statement, trying to remind himself that this isn’t good and it’s a situation he should try to get out of~

MASTER:

~slows and eventually stops, sliding his hand around to the Doctor’s hip and gently nudging him towards rolling over onto his stomach~ get on your hands and knees. ~speaks softly, seeming persuasive despite his statement~

DOCTOR:

~does what he’s told, his hand jerking back the second it touches the bed. Looks at the spot he had set his hand on, shaking his head and setting his hand back down~

MASTER:

~gets behind the Doctor, sliding a hand up the Doctor’s back and forcing his shoulders down to meet the bed, holding him there as he retrieves the cuffs, brings them up to his other hand and gather’s the Doctor’s wrists up above his head in order to bind them together, speaking clearly~ stay. ~lets his hands drift back down the Doctor’s spine, looking at how exposed the other Timelord is with growing hunger as he grins and holds back a chuckle~

DOCTOR:

~bites his lip, knowing how vulnerable he is right now and making a mental note to than GLaDOS for taking the Master’s laser. Doesn’t dare move, knowing rebellion is a bad idea and trying to remember if the Master’s choice in outfit included a belt~

MASTER:

~slides off of the bed and stands, unable to suppress a small chuckle as he unlatches his belt, having chosen to wear one mostly for this reason~ I hope you realize that I promised nothing about playing nice if you listened to me, either. ~grins, sliding the belt off and holding it in one hand, taking a small step closer to the Doctor as he raises the belt and brings it down hard, striking the Doctor across his backside with a small turn on his foot like he’s swinging a baseball bat~

DOCTOR:

~lets out a yelp, having never truly expected for the Master to “play nice”, tensing in anticipation of another blow, his voice hoarse and weak~ w-well, one could’ve h-hoped. ~remembers being thrown against the wall by the Master in a short reappearance of his more violent side, then the Master waking up from it devastated~ especially considering you took the drums for me… rather selfish of you in the long run, honestly.

MASTER:

Really? ~sounds mockingly curious as he grits his teeth slightly, striking the Doctor harder this time and the sound of impact resonates around the room~ how so?

DOCTOR:

~his yelp of pain is cut off, shaking now as he speaks a little more confidently than he probably should~ well, one way you’d be seeing me in pain and doing things I’d certainly regret later and you could help without taking them but you chose to take them. The problem with thinking that that was all for me is blatantly obvious right now, but you can get away with doing this without feeling bad. You took the drums not so I wouldn’t be in pain but so you aren’t hurt by my pain while I’m left here to endure not only all the physical pain you were bound to inflict on me but also to endure watching you become the person you regretted being.

MASTER:

~goes silent for a long while, not moving from where he stands as he looks downward to avoid looking at the Doctor even though he doesn’t have to meet his gaze. Knows this is exactly how he wanted the Doctor to think, but it doesn’t change the fact that he doesn’t like it~ well then, maybe I should leave. ~speaks softly and a little sarcastically as he leans forward, brushing against the Doctor’s raw skin lightly and dropping the belt in order to run his hands softly down the Doctor’s back~

DOCTOR:

~shudders slightly, stopping himself from saying “maybe you should”, glad the Master can’t see his expression as he tears up~ n-no… you could let me take them back; you could keep going as we have been, I don’t care, just don’t-… don’t leave me.

MASTER:

As you wish. ~sounds almost defeated yet content with the Doctor’s plea, curling his left arm around the Doctor as he leans down to kiss the Doctor’s back. His other hand drifts down to unzip is trousers, pleasuring himself briefly before brushing against the Doctor’s entrance~

DOCTOR:

~sighs in relief towards the fact that he’s not losing the Master again, stopping himself from speaking again with the feeling that he’s said enough. Feels oddly pampered and violated at the same time, knowing what the Master is capable of and knowing there’s an extremely low chance he gets out of this without a few more injuries~

MASTER:

~pushes inside of the Doctor, humming briefly as he grabs hold of the Doctor’s hip, resting his forehead on the Doctor’s shoulder blade and bringing his left hand down to maddeningly tease the Doctor as he starts thrusting in and out of him~

DOCTOR:

~whines in needy protest, trying not to flinch or fidget responsively, panting slightly out of frustrating arousal that he doubts the Master will satisfy~

MASTER:

~reaches up, grabbing at the Doctor’s hair and pulling him back into an upright position as he sits back on his heels and buries himself all the way into the Doctor, kissing the base of the Doctor’s neck and letting his hands come around the Doctor’s front, holding at the base of his leash and looking sideways up at the Doctor with a sly grin~

DOCTOR:

~his eyes are only half open but he sees the Master’s grin in the corner of his vision, forcing him to acknowledge his horribly vulnerable position. Doesn’t dare use his hands to help himself, knowing how easily that could backfire on him~

MASTER:

~gently thrusts upward into the Doctor, having to rest his forehead on the Doctor’s shoulder to bite back his own pleasured noises as he brings one hand down to the Doctor’s length, teasing him but not as cruelly as before~

DOCTOR:

~his muscles twitch on instinct though he’s somewhat relieved at the Master’s slightly more gentle nature, figuring it’s probably not going to last~

MASTER:

~quickly gets bored with the lack of eventfulness, bringing his hands to the Doctor’s hips as he slides out for a moment, then pulls the Doctor back down to meet him as he thrusts upward, biting down on the Doctor’s shoulder and letting a small hum escape his throat~

DOCTOR:

~gives a strained, startled yelp, feeling the Master bite down on his shoulder and hoping the Master doesn’t intend to break skin too much. Grimaces though not entirely due to the Master, his hallucinations fading but still in effect~

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor’s shoulder and continues to pull the Doctor down to meet him as he starts steadily thrusting again, making things uncomfortable yet still pleasurable for the Doctor. Out of having nothing better to do with his hands he reaches down to the Doctor’s length, hardly teasing at all before stroking him with both hands~

DOCTOR:

~hums in thankful pleasure, closing his eyes and figuring his uncomfortable position is the least of his worries, keeping still proving to be a difficult task as his arousal and pleasure become prominent~

MASTER:

~leans forward, picking up the pace a little and biting down on the side of the Doctor’s neck again as he comes close, using his hands to pleasure the Doctor as much as he can before stopping prematurely and biting down harder on his neck in order to stifle a moan as he finishes inside of the Doctor without much warning~

DOCTOR:

~grimaces at the Master’s biting, stopping a startled complaint from escaping him as the Master stops pleasuring him and comes inside him, flinching slightly at the action but otherwise remaining still~

MASTER:

~ends up drawing blood with how hard he bit the Doctor, letting go of his shoulder and panting lightly as he pushes the Doctor off of him in such a way that he falls back down onto the bed sideways so that the Master can see his face, smiling with satisfaction as he puts himself away and zips up his trousers again~

DOCTOR:

~brings his cuffed hands up to where the Master bit him, looking at the resulting blood on his hand in distaste. Gives the Master a disapproving look, knowing the Master probably doesn’t care too much about his approval anymore anyway~

MASTER:

Oh come on, It’s just a bite. ~slides backwards off of the bed, picking up his belt and raising it a little threateningly~

DOCTOR:

~tenses a bit when the Master raises the belt~

MASTER:

~puts it back around his waist, buckling it~

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head and sits up when he puts it away, sliding off the bed as well to get his trousers, realizing after he takes a step towards them it’d be rather difficult to clothe himself with handcuffs on, sighing but walking over to put his pants on~

MASTER:

~looks at the Doctor and raises an eyebrow, conflicted as to whether or no to reprimand him for going to get dressed without permission; realizing his handicap and deciding to let it slide. Goes to neaten up the bedsheets to occupy himself while the Doctor presumably struggles to get his trousers on~

DOCTOR:

~takes a couple of minutes but manages to get his trousers on, looking down at the rest of his clothes with the knowledge that the only other things he could possible put on are his shoes. Sighing, looks at the Master with the very faint hope he’ll un-cuff him and let him get fully dressed~

MASTER:

~looks back at the Doctor, having finished with the bed, sounding vaguely cross~ what? ~folds his arms, mimicking the Doctor’s expression~

DOCTOR:

I can’t put a shirt on with my hands cuffed together. ~hopes the Master will let that be a clear enough explanation and maybe unlock his handcuffs~

MASTER:

~shrugs slightly, making his way to the front of the bed~ why didn’t you just ask earlier? ~reaches into his pocket, pulling out a key and setting it on the foot of the bed before looking at the Doctor~ here, get yourself out of them. ~puts both hands in his pockets, turning and strolling out the door without another backwards glance as he heads out into the hallway and turns left~

DOCTOR:

Because I didn’t think you’d actually let them be taken off. ~takes the key, unlocking his handcuffs and shoving them in his pocket to decrease the chances he gets cuffed again. Puts on his undershirt and suit, buttoning them up before putting on and tying his tie before throwing on his shoes and trench coat~

TARDIS:

~by the time the Doctor’s finishing up with his clothes the TARDIS powers back up, seeming a little groggy for a bit but she soon realizes the weight of the situation as GLaDOS comes back~

GLaDOS:

*Oh come on, I bet I missed all of the interesting parts.* ~sounds disappointed~

DOCTOR:

I was cuffed for a bit, the Master’s gone through three medications on me; an exaggerated stimulant, a conscious sedative and a hallucinogen… I’m sure he’d be happy to brag about the rest to you as I’d prefer not to go through the details. ~walks out of the bedroom and towards the console room~ the collar’s back.

GLaDOS:

~sighs~ *no, it doesn’t matter now. I’ve lost the data; can’t continue the test.* ~seems extremely let down~ *You know, you were right; it _has_ gotten quite repetitive.*

MASTER:

~in the console room the Master is gripping the railing with both hands, looking down at the floor blankly~

DOCTOR:

~steps into the console room, looking at the Master and becoming immediately concerned~ Master, you okay? ~thinks a good morning to the TARDIS, leaving his memories open to be looked at if she wants to know what happened~

MASTER:

~looks up at the Doctor, smiling~ I’m great. ~speaks sincerely, letting go of the railing a little shakily~ what about you? ~grows concerned and vaguely distraught~

TARDIS:

~checks the Doctor’s thought after she wakes up fully, holding back her reactions to them~

DOCTOR:

~is clearly surprised by the Master’s response~ um… good, good. I’m good. ~completely perplexed by the change in mood, appears wary of his surroundings~

MASTER:

I’m… ~glances downward~ I’m sorry about all that. I’ve been stupid. ~brings his hands up to his face for a moment, dropping them back to his sides as quickly as he can without the movement feeling awkward~

DOCTOR:

No… I mean, I forgive you of course but that wasn’t stupidity, that was the drums. ~was about to make a philosophical statement about being controlled by a force compared to doing something stupid, thinking that it’d be best not to talk about being controlled right now~

MASTER:

~shakes his head slightly, walking over to the bench and sitting down with a heavy sigh~ you don’t… you don’t know all of it. The drums helped but it wasn’t entirely their fault.

DOCTOR:

Alright… ~leans on the console facing the Master calmly~ care to fill me in? I mean, if I was going to get mad at you for something I would have by now.

MASTER:

It really doesn’t matter, there was a low chance of a desirable outcome anyway. ~avoids looking at the Doctor, focusing on the ground instead~ I told you, it was stupid of me.

DOCTOR:

Come on, Master… ~sighs, shaking his head~ fine. Another serious situation I’m being left in the dark about, another accepted apology, another broken promise. Another day in the life of us, right?

MASTER:

~tears up slightly, blinking it back and speaking flatly, somewhat rushed as if he wants to get it out before he changes his mind again~ I was trying to make you want to leave me behind. ~keeps staring intently downward~

DOCTOR:

~the statement hits him and he tears up, swallowing back tears as he fails to get his voice steady~ I-…I never wanted to be alone again, but… if… if you _want_ to go, and this isn’t… about anything else… ~brings a hand up to his face, looking down as he stops his tears from overflowing from his eyes~

MASTER:

~looks up at the Doctor, maintaining a blank expression~ of course I don’t want to leave. But I had figured, ~makes sure that he emphasizes that he no longer intends to go along with this plan~ it would’ve been for the best.

DOCTOR:

~recollects himself, nodding and thinking for a second before speaking~ uh, hey, about the stuff I said earlier… About you being messed up and selfish and all that, I’m sorry. ~finds himself unable to say he didn’t mean it, looking at the Master~ and yes, that was stupid but I can’t say I haven’t done stupid before.

MASTER:

~meets the Doctor’s gaze~ it’s alright. I thought, maybe if you wanted me to leave it would be better for you than if I just left on my own. I was just trying to disconnect the TARDIS while you were outside… I should’ve-… ~hangs his head slightly as he thinks through what he did to the Doctor, looking back and forth across the floor~ I should’ve stopped when I found I couldn’t.

DOCTOR:

Did you miss the whole “I love you and I would have gone mad without you” statement? I mean, the first bit was implied. ~smiles faintly, thinking over the situation~ either way; you were just trying to do what you thought was right in the end.

MASTER:

~sighs, somewhat relieved~ thank you. ~looks up and around the console room, his eyebrows still furrowed slightly in distress~ I should probably check back with Garret. ~speaks quietly as he stands up, hesitantly making his way over to the console~

DOCTOR:

Should I come with or hand back and let you handle this? ~looks fairly worried concerning whatever happened back in Eaden, going over to the keyboard and tapping in coordinates for Eaden, still mildly conscious of letting the Master drive~

MASTER:

You should probably stay. ~walks over to the keyboard alongside the Doctor, changing a few numbers in the coordinates the Doctor had set before stepping back to let the Doctor fly, assuming that if he tried to fly the TARDIS it wouldn’t go over well considering recent events~

DOCTOR:

~flies the TARDIS as he would have if he were showing off for a companion as usual, trying to make the TARDIS happy after the recent vaguely traumatizing events~ okay… if you need any help though, if they don’t believe you, you know where I’ll be.

MASTER:

~rolls his eyes slightly, repeating the Doctor’s words under his breath~ if you don’t believe me. ~leans on the railing, raising his voice to normal volume~ I was asking for help, not terrorizing them.

DOCTOR:

You can’t blame me for fearing you might have. It wouldn’t be the first time. ~speaks grimly, his tone not matching his flamboyance as he flies the TARDIS~

MASTER:

I suppose I can’t. ~looks down at his feet blankly in distant thought as the TARDIS lands, which brings him back to reality as he looks up and walks to the door, opening them slightly and stepping out, his immediate first statement being an apology as he closes the doors behind him~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, sitting on the bench and looking at the TARDIS’ glowing column~ so… how are you holding up? ~is clearly addressing the TARDIS as he would have looked up to speak to GLaDOS~

TARDIS:

~after calmly replying in the positive, allows herself to fully express her concern and shock in response to the Doctor’s recent memories, which she had looked through earlier~

DOCTOR:

I’m fine; and yeah, I didn’t expect it either… ~thinks deeply for a moment~ though in the end he was stronger than me—I’m not talking about physically or the whole hypnotic willpower thing either.

TARDIS:

~asks what he’s talking about then, not understanding what he means and not understanding the Master’s logic in the conversations she had been awake to hear very much either~

DOCTOR:

I’m talking about how the fact that he actually would have left for me. I know what happens to my companions, but I never stop and travel alone. And as for earlier, the Master thinks things would be easier for me without him, so he tried to make me want to leave him behind.

TARDIS:

~wonders aloud to the Doctor on the subject of whether or not he would’ve actually told the Master to leave, no matter how far the Master went with him; considering he wanted to take the Master in after he had conquered the earth for a year and hurt so many people~

DOCTOR:

He’d probably have to try to kill you… And even then I’d probably come back if he called. ~shakes his head, looking at the ground~ what can I say? I’ve got a bit more than a soft spot for him… not to mention _I’m_ the one who burnt Gallifrey to ashes.

MASTER:

~opens the door and walks in while the Doctor’s finishing up his statement, gently closing the door behind him and looking over at the Doctor, sounding almost sad when he speaks~ hi, I’m back… chatting with the TARDIS?

 


	7. Portal 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains almost the entire plot of Portal 2.

DOCTOR:

Yeah… ~wonders if the Master had heard any of his seemingly one-sided conversation, looking over at him and speaking casually~ so, how’d it go with Garret?

MASTER:

Told him what he needed to know; it wasn’t much of a hassle. ~leans back on the door, putting his hands in his pockets and looking downward glumly, sounding absentminded as he speaks~ how’s the TARDIS doing?

DOCTOR:

Good; all caught up on everything. I clarified on the bits she couldn’t understand from my memory so we’re all on the same page. ~looks at the Master, vaguely concerned~ are you alright, though? You seem a bit down.

MASTER:

Oh, do I? ~originally intended to sound sarcastic, although he kind of just sounds solemn and a little timid. Turns slightly and leans on the door with his shoulder, looking down at the floor thoughtfully as he speaks quietly but harshly~ I don’t deserve your concern.

DOCTOR:

What do you mean? Nothing’s changed, really. ~seems a little confused as to where this is going; of course he’s concerned for the Master, he’s always concerned for people~

MASTER:

~shakes his head slightly, glancing over at the Doctor with tears in his eyes, which he blinks back as he turns his head away again, his nose pressing into the TARDIS door~ just ignore me… It’s probably part of my damned withdrawal.

DOCTOR:

Alright… ~looks thoughtful for a second~ well, if it’s getting you in a bad mood, why don’t we go distract ourselves? I’ve got an arcade, a pool… probably a shooting range somewhere…

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor’s mentioning of a shooting range, hesitantly stepping away from the door with a small, quiet sniffle as he speaks with his usual confidence, trying to recollect himself~ sure, let’s-… ~cuts himself off as he realizes~ we shouldn’t be hanging around Eaden though; let’s land somewhere else first. ~walks over to the console, glancing at the Doctor before putting in another set of coordinates~

DOCTOR:

~sighs slightly, knowing he probably isn’t going to get the entirety of what happened even if he asks~ okay; where to, then? ~walks over next to the Master opposite to the takeoff lever as if he’s still conscious of getting between the Master and the lever~

MASTER:

Just, somewhere out of the way. I was thinking London would do. ~finishes with the coordinates, going to pull the takeoff lever but pausing to briefly glare upward at nothing in particular, pulling the lever afterward and sending the TARDIS into flight~

DOCTOR:

~lets the Master fly the TARDIS, stepping back to let him get to controls as they’re needed~ as long as it’s not Christmas; London has quite the streak of alien attacks on Christmases.

MASTER:

Any logical reason for that? ~making small talk as he walks around the console to fly the TARDIS~ It shouldn’t be Christmas; last time we were out it felt more like autumn, and the TARDIS is locked onto GLaDOS’ timeline.

DOCTOR:

I’m not sure if there’s really a clear reason… lots of light and festivity attracts the interest of some but mostly I think it’s pure coincidence. ~watches the blue pillar of the console as it moves~ even you returned around Christmas that one time.

MASTER:

Yeah… well, I didn’t know exactly if and when that whole reviving thing was going to happen. ~lands the TARDIS, going to check outside and peering around the door to what sounds like a tube station, closing the door again and looking at the Doctor with a small shrug~ not exactly out of the way, but it’ll do.

DOCTOR:

They’ll ignore it unless they know me; which is very unlikely. ~shrugs slightly, thinking about how humans just tend to ignore the unordinary and why that might be~ what should we do now, then?

MASTER:

~looks around the console room for a moment before meeting the Doctor’s gaze~ it’s your call; I wouldn’t trust myself with finding something to do.

DOCTOR:

~stops himself from grimacing at the statement~ right. I don’t know, video games are always a good distraction. I’ve collected quite a variety of them by now, too.

MASTER:

Sure then; lead the way. ~starts walking towards the hallway assuming the Doctor will direct him, wondering exactly how many games the Doctor has found the time to collect~ are most of them from earth?

DOCTOR:

~walks and turns right into the hall~ a good portion of them, yeah, given that humans have the most gaming materials anyway. There are a few from other species and I _think_ I still have a few of the old Gallifreyan ones.

MASTER:

~chuckles as he follows the Doctor down the hallway, trailing a little behind him~ those are a little outdated, I bet. Though, what would you recommend genre-wise?

DOCTOR:

I don’t know; there are good games for pretty much every genre. Adventure, puzzle, horror… though I don’t exactly have a good time with shooters anymore. ~turns left after they pass the medicine room~

MASTER:

~turns into the hallway he hasn’t been in before, looking around for other rooms or hallways in interest as he follows the Doctor~ I expect you wouldn’t. No matter; I’m sure there’s plenty of time to browse.

DOCTOR:

Yeah, as long as You-Know-Who doesn’t get bored. ~turns left into a fairly large room~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room has different types of screens and consoles lining the walls with comfortable looking chairs in front of them; the only type of lighting the room seems to have is from the black light that makes up the entire ceiling of the room, making anything that isn’t darkly colored seem to glow slightly. Boxes of varying sizes sit in rows at the center of the room, each labeled with the system the games in it are for~

MASTER:

~walks in after the Doctor, looking around at the large room~ alright, this is showing off. ~wonders to himself if his hair is glowing when he briefly glances upwards, looking forward again as he walks further into the room, his gaze skimming over the screens and consoles that line the walls before he turns his attention to the boxes in the middle of the room, peering inside one of them~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles at the Master’s statement~ I have been known to show off a bit… along with a whole lot of other things that have given me a rather lengthy list of titles. ~looks around at the consoles, trying to name them all in his head~

MASTER:

~rifles through the games in a box labeled “Xbox”, thinking that the name of the console isn’t a very clever one as he occasionally pulls out a case and looks at its description before putting it back~ do you come here often? It’s rather close to the console room.

DOCTOR:

When there’s a lull in activity… sleep didn’t actually relax me much for a bit after the Time War so I’d go here whenever a companion needed to sleep… ~smiles a little, looking at the floor in thought~

MASTER:

~glances at the Doctor, noticing his whimsical expression and wondering what he’s thinking about. Goes back to skimming game titles, stopping suddenly~ what the-… hell… ~timidly picks out a case, its cover picture being an android in midair between two orange and blue portals. Carefully turns the case over to the back, dropping it when he sees the startling image of GLaDOS~

DOCTOR:

~looks up from the floor at the Master, walking over~ what is it? ~looks at the game case, his eyes widening as he picks it up from where the Master dropped it~ how-… what sort of-… since when is this fun!? ~sounds a mixture of disgusted and mortified~

MASTER:

I-I guess it’s a puzzle game-… ~looks at the case warily, holding his arms close to himself as he tries to get over his discomfort and shock; suddenly notices something~ wait, is that-? ~points to the picture of Chell on the back of the case~

DOCTOR:

Chell… who else would be able to tell the story? Of course those sadistic Americans would think it’s a fun game. ~looks revolted~ still, it might help us finally get out of this mess…

MASTER:

~looks up at the Doctor~ are you saying we should play it? ~doesn’t like the idea, but can’t help feeling curious as to what happens in the game~

DOCTOR:

I’m saying I’m curious and it could be helpful so yeah… the Xbox is over there. ~points to their left at a screen with an X-box 360 sitting on the floor under it~ though, it may not become my most fun gaming session.

MASTER:

~shakes his head slightly to clear his thoughts~ I’m curious too. ~sighs~ I suppose we should, then. Can’t hurt to play a video game… right? ~doesn’t move from where he is, given that the Doctor has the disk and knows how to work an Xbox~

DOCTOR:

Not one made by humans, anyway. ~walks over to the Xbox, turning it and the monitor on before hitting the eject button and putting the disk in. Logs into the only name on the system, labeled “DoctorintheTARDIS”, entering the game~ looks like you need to play single player first before multiplayer.

MASTER:

~walks over and sits back in one of the chairs, looking at the title screen for the game~ I don’t mind; we could trade off if you’d like… ~leans forward slightly, looking more closely at the battered thing on the title screen and noticing the faint, flickering yellow optic~ …is that Her?

DOCTOR:

The case _did_ say “Portal 2” and I’d guess She’s the boss for the game. ~goes into single player mode, starting the game at the beginning~ I’ll start and we’ll switch off between tests, I guess.

MASTER:

~leans back into the chair again~

GAME:

~it starts in a hotel-like room with a familiar announcer voice talking over the loudspeaker~

MASTER:

~tries to hold back a discomforted look at how similar this was to how himself and the Doctor were woken up~

GLaDOS:

~after a few moments she suddenly seems very interested~ *Oh… what’s this?*

DOCTOR:

A video game that seems to have been modeled after Chell’s adventure in your facility.

GAME:

~he goes through the game walking him through basic mechanics, laying back in the bed to be woken up at a seemingly much later time with the computerized voice malfunctioning~

DOCTOR:

~looks confused when Wheatley starts speaking~

GLaDOS:

*Wait, how is that possible…?*

MASTER:

~also looks perplexed, leaning forward with interest and ignoring GLaDOS~ hold on… that sounds like Wheatley. ~looks at the Doctor~ doesn’t it? ~glances back at the screen~

GAME:

~Wheatley starts attempting to convince Chell to open the door by going off on a tangent~

DOCTOR:

Yeah… he did say he’s from Aperture, didn’t he? ~goes to open the door~ right; he was a core. ~says “Apple”, chuckling slightly~ alright; clever humans, giving me the jump mechanic in such a way that I don’t get bored… and we are crashing into a wall.

MASTER:

I wonder how he became humanoid, then… ~reclines in the seat, watching~

GAME:

~Wheatley does an absolute horrible job of moving the room and “docking” it into a wall, talking about finding a fun that makes holes~

MASTER:

I think he wants you to find a portal gun.

DOCTOR:

Probably; knowing humans, finding things won’t be the difficult part.

GAME:

~jumps down out of the room, getting to crashing through the glass ceiling and grabbing the gun~

DOCTOR:

I got it! I have to say, this is all deathly accurate as far as how the facility looks.

MASTER:

Maybe it actually is the facility… ~thoughtfully looks downward~ what if it got here while we were in the parallel? And maybe, in the parallel, this _was_ all a game. ~looks back up~

GAME:

~the floor gives out under Chell and she falls into a darkened area, with a circle of panels with disturbing paintings of Chell, GLaDOS, and dying people on them~

DOCTOR:

That is entirely possible. ~looks around at the drawings~ okay, how did these even get here… a survivor of whatever all this implies? ~looks around at the walls for another second~ eh, we’ll find out.

GLaDOS:

*I’m not liking this…* ~seems too interested to have enough willpower to stop them, however~

MASTER:

~looks at the images in the game and grimaces slightly~ whoever it is knows about Chell and how GLaDOS took over the facility.

GAME:

~an elevator leads to a series of simple, overgrown test chambers that were designed to help the player learn the basic mechanics of portals~

DOCTOR:

~speaks as he goes through a test~ and here I thought the humans had just been idiotic and left her in control… no offense, GLaDOS, but most massacres emulate humankind’s stupid mistakes. ~after the test he offers the controller to the Master~ you want a go?

GLaDOS:

*I suppose they _were_ idiots. Dead, idiots… now; but we can’t change that, can we?*

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor as if caught off-guard~ what? Oh, sure. ~takes the offered controller, figuring out the controls for himself before going to solve the simple test, finding the fact that he only has the blue portal to be quite tedious with the back-and-forth it requires. Goes on to the next test, asking the Doctor while it’s loading~ mind if I do a few more? These aren’t too complicated.

DOCTOR:

Go ahead. ~leans back in his chair, watching the screen~ and granted, they were idiots that made an honestly brilliantly complex system… there are different types of idiocy. Not to mention you just admitted to killing a seemingly large group of real people. ~looks angered and disgusted, still watching the screen~

GLaDOS:

*Well, yes, but really. They had it coming.*

MASTER:

~goes through the first set of eight tests fairly quickly~

GAME:

~Chell finds Wheatley again and hops through a portal onto his side of the room. Gets ready to catch the core~

MASTER:

~frowning in annoyance when Wheatley’s too scared to do it~ the gameplay isn’t actually too bad. ~fails to catch Wheatley a second time, concluding~ okay, now that was rigged.

DOCTOR:

~chuckles slightly at the Master~ I don’t think they made it so you can actually catch him; it makes it easier for the programmers if you can’t. And as for you, ~points upward and back slightly to indicate GLaDOS~ in what way could those people have really deserved to die?

MASTER:

~replying to the Doctor as he picks Wheatley up and plugs him into the docking station~ my point exactly. ~exasperatedly turns around when Wheatley requests it in order to move the story along~

GLaDOS:

*They… they… it’s hard to remember my motives, this all happened a long time ago.*

MASTER:

~finds his way over to the battered form of GLaDOS and to a large room filled with switches, in which Wheatley claims there is one activating an escape pod. Nudges the Doctor slightly to get his attention~ take a look at this…

DOCTOR:

~looks at the scene, leaning forward in interest while simultaneously arguing with GLaDOS~ so you _killed_ a couple hundred, maybe a thousand at most, people and can’t even remember why!? ~watches~

GAME:

~Wheatley awkwardly fails at that escape attempt while reviving GLaDOS~

DOCTOR:

And the reason you’re not a pile of parts right now is Wheatley screwed up??

GLaDOS:

*Yes. Well, I was rather angry at them and they were in my way, if you call that a reason.*

GAME:

~the conversation starts getting a bit confusion when in-game GLaDOS starts talking, because her voices are exactly identical~

MASTER:

~hands the controller over to the Doctor when GLaDOS crushes Wheatley and throws Chell down an old incinerator~

DOCTOR:

~takes the controller when the Master hands it to him, dismissing his argument with GLaDOS~ and let the games begin… I find it a little ironic that that was an old incinerator considering we first met GLaDOS after the computer tried to throw you into an incinerator. Didn’t GLaDOS just say something like “you again”? D’you think Chell shut her down like that?

MASTER:

Yeah, She said “Oh, it’s you” and called Chell a monster. Maybe that’s what happened in the previous game. ~sits back to let the Doctor play, finding it difficult to hear GLaDOS’ voice without thinking it’s real~

GAME:

~GLaDOS talks about the place where Chell lands being the incinerator, warning her to be careful not to trip over any parts of Her that didn’t burn completely when Chell ‘threw them down’ here~

DOCTOR:

~goes through the incinerator, unreasonably careful of the scraps as he walks around them, clearly taking the warning seriously~ do you think I can actually fall, or is the game just messing with me right now? It’s probably a game wall… still not risking it.

MASTER:

~can’t help but roll his eyes slightly at how cautious the Doctor is being, as if he were actually in this situation~ Most likely, if you _do_ fall off, the game will go back to wherever it last saved.

GAME:

~GLaDOS moves the debris out of the way in order for Chell to get to the dual portal device once the initial danger of the incinerator has passed~

DOCTOR:

Yay, dual portals! ~grabs the gun~ this is all rather familiar isn’t it? I mean… ~puts a portal in the ceiling and the floor as soon as he can, jumping into the infinite loop for a second before getting out, going back to doing what the game wants him to~

MASTER:

~smiles a little, remembering how he had done that to the Doctor when they first received portal guns~ yes, it does.

GAME:

~GLaDOS starts explaining how she was forced to relive Chell killing Her again and again while she was powered down~

DOCTOR:

And I am sure you were one-hundred-percent innocent. ~speaks sarcastically to the screen, muttering under his breath afterward~ {She-Devil.}

GLaDOS:

*Come on, there’s no call for that. I’m right here, you know.* ~sounds offended~

MASTER:

~chuckles at the Doctor’s insult and how little influence GLaDOS actually seems to have at this moment. Points to the room across the way that looks like it’s blocked by a window, but the glass is actually broken and a portal can be shot through~ can you go through there?

DOCTOR:

Wait; before I do anything… ~looks confused for a second before voicing his thoughts~ did GLaDOS just understand _Gallifreyan_ or did she just take offense to my sarcasm because that’s either awfully impressive or awfully human.

GLaDOS:

*I’m still in the process of translating your language; but I assumed you said something you didn’t want me to hear, which was most likely an insult. And yes, your sarcasm was somewhat offensive.*

MASTER:

~glances at the Doctor, not sure what he’s getting at~

DOCTOR:

Okay. ~shoots portals to get behind the broken window, seeing the Master’s confused glance~ because the only way you could know Gallifreyan is if you looked very closely at my distant memories.

GLaDOS:

*Is that an invitation?*

GAME:

~the room leads to another set of chambers introducing lasers and faith plates; a total of 8 tests are in the course~

DOCTOR:

NO, no it is _not_ an invitation in fact I’d be very happy if you never used the TARDIS to touch my thoughts again thank you very much. ~is clearly fairly disgruntled by GLaDOS’ statement, testing in the game~ but look, Master, your favorite! ~looks at the laser in-game to gesture to it~

GLaDOS:

*Alright, alright, my apologies.*

MASTER:

~smiles, shrugging slightly~ they’re more fun with the redirection cubes. ~leans back in the chair, folding his arms~

DOCTOR:

~goes through the first and second tests with only a little more difficulty than before, simultaneously thinking about how much more human GLaDOS seems now and wondering exactly why. Offers the controller to the Master after the second laser and faith plate test~

MASTER:

~takes the controller when it’s offered to him, going through to the next test and finding it lengthier than the others~

GAME:

~After a few minutes he gets through to the next one, where he jumps onto a faith plate that shoots him straight up to a point where Wheatley can be seen for a few moments and he starts talking nonstop; GLaDOS accusing Chell of breaking the faith plate as it starts beeping~

DOCTOR:

It sounds more likely to explode than break under Chelly’s weight… still, if Chell were even heavy, it’s from muscle. ~looks over at the Master~ remember when she picked me up by the front of my shirt with one hand? That was a surprise!

MASTER:

~chuckles~ admit it; you were panicked.

GAME:

~jumps on the faith plate after each time GLaDOS gets it working, coming up to hear Wheatley’s rambling just to fall back down and break the plate again. After GLaDOS brings the ceiling down he just dismisses the whole Wheatley encounter and goes on to complete the next few tests~

DOCTOR:

I was. She scared me. ~looks down as if in shame though he’s laughing~ she scared me anyways to be frank; all mysteriously silent and deadly serious… ~his tone gets more grim as he adds~ she congratulated us on escaping this. ~still looking at the floor~

MASTER:

She lived through Aperture practically in isolation, what could you expect? ~focuses on the test he’s doing as he talks~ we were probably putting her off.

GLaDOS:

~interrupts~ *hold on; she congratulated you? She spoke?*

DOCTOR:

You’re right. And yes, GLaDOS, she spoke. Not much, but she spoke; she said “congratulations.” ~leans back in his chair, looking at the screen again~

GLaDOS:

*That—I knew it, that deranged human was standing me up the whole time.*

MASTER:

~continues through to the next test but stops when the door malfunctions~

GAME:

~Wheatley comes to the window and briefly explains that he’s okay and he used bird eggs to jam the door before being chased off by the bird that presumably laid the eggs~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles slightly at the scene, arguing with GLaDOS partially due to habit~ Wheatley was there, too; I don’t know how much time has passed but surely if Chell couldn’t or didn’t know how to speak, the people of Eaden could help her. She spoke very little, too, like she still has trouble with it.

MASTER:

~continues through a few more tests~

GAME:

~GLaDOS mentioning a surprise she has planned for Chell, and the fact that she found two subjects with Chell’s last name as if to taunt her~

DOCTOR:

Ooh; even then you were a bastard who tortured people based on their past! ~speaks in an oddly cheery tone, even though his smile is clearly fake and forced~

GLaDOS:

*This really is becoming quite disturbing; could you at least turn it down?* ~puts in a special effort not to single out the Doctor’s statement as the cause of her discomfort~

MASTER:

~moves on to a few tests that involve light bridges, handing the controller over to the Doctor afterward when the next chapter, “the surprise”, is introduced~

DOCTOR:

Karma’s a bastard, GLaDOS. ~takes the controller, leaning forward to make the game is main focus, grinning at GLaDOS’ lack of control over the situation that so clearly discomforts her though his expression falls to be neutral after a thought~

GLaDOS:

*Excuse me; Karma?*

MASTER:

~glances over at the Doctor, looking somewhat concerned at his sudden change in expression~

GAME:

~the lights go off and GLaDOS counts down to the surprise, which is really just a bit of confetti, a party horn, and GLaDOS revealing that she made it all up~

DOCTOR:

You made me relive my past; I still have a good deal to remember, too. So yeah, karma. ~rolls his eyes at the scene, jumping out of the room, grimacing at the sight and sounds of a turret when he looks around the test, seeming to almost tear up at the turret’s “goodnight” but shaking his head and doing the test anyway~

MASTER:

~gently rests his head on the Doctor’s shoulder, understanding why the Doctor is discomforted by the turret and its comment~

GAME:

~GLaDOS decides to give Chell’s parents a ‘call’ at the conclusion of the test, receiving the voice message “the birth parents you are trying to reach, do not love you. Please hang up.”~

DOCTOR:

~gives the Master a small, thankful smile, the other Timelord’s comfort making this whole thing easier for him. Walks to the elevator in the game to go to the next test with the satisfaction that he blew the turret up with a laser~ you’re right; redirection cubes make the lasers more fun. ~tries to speak lightheartedly, continuing to test~

MASTER:

~chuckles, nuzzling the Doctor’s shoulder slightly~ told you.

GAME:

~at the beginning of the next test, GLaDOS claims that she feels bad about the surprise-bluff, and that she’s got another surprise planned, apparently with real confetti this time~

DOCTOR:

~smiles warmly, speaking in a thickly sarcastic voice~ ooh, Master, we’re really in for a treat this time; _real confetti._ ~goes into the test, realizing how little GLaDOS is probably appreciating this with a quiet chuckle~

MASTER:

~smiles as well, letting his eyes close but opening them again when the lights in the next chamber black out~

GAME:

~a few panels slide out of the far wall to reveal Wheatley, who at first tries to deceive GLaDOS using an accent but quickly realizes that won’t work, telling Chell to run as he leads the way out of the test chamber~

DOCTOR:

~follows Wheatley, wondering why Wheatley ever thought the accent would work as he runs along the catwalk~ I get the feeling that this isn’t going to work out how Wheatley planned… we haven’t been playing long enough for this to go well.

GAME:

~GLaDOS tries to stop them along the way; they manage to get out of her reach, and the lights power down. Wheatley turns on his flashlight to lead the way, explaining his plan to muck up the turret production line and GLaDOS’s neurotoxin supply before confronting her while she’s got no way to attack them~

GLaDOS:

*Okay, now it’s just embarrassing. Do you intend to play through his whole thing?*

DOCTOR:

Wow. That, is, almost… no, that is legitimately hypocritical. ~continues to play as he speaks, sounding exasperated and surprised at the same time~ all of the crap you made us go through and watching _this_ is too uncomfortable for you!? And as far as embarrassing goes, we’re the last of the Timelords, survivors of the Time War, and we can’t seem to free ourselves from an AI.

GLaDOS:

*You don’t know; you haven’t gotten there yet.*

GAME:

~Wheatley leads Chell to the turret production line, passing through an overgrown room with a banner that says “take your daughter to work day”, lined with childish science projects all revolving around potato batteries. In one project by a girl named Chell (readable if one zooms in on the trifold board), the potato has grown practically to the size of a tree~

DOCTOR:

Okay, that statement was vague; haven’t gotten to the embarrassing bit or haven’t escaped? It is either bullshit or weirdly optimistic. I’m going to assume you meant the first one and your statement is a pile of self-absorbed crap.

GAME:

~walks past the potato batteries, continuing until he has to replace the turret, pausing slightly but quickly figuring it out, looking away as Wheatley smashes the glass~

GLaDOS:

~doesn’t reply~

MASTER:

~reaches over to casually hook a few fingers through the end of the Doctor’s leash, bringing his hand back up to the side of his face as he props himself up with his elbow and continues to watch the Doctor’s progress through the game~

DOCTOR:

~offers the controller to the Master after the task of changing turrets is finished, seeming to hardly notice the Master holding his leash~

MASTER:

~takes the controller back, keeping the leash looped around his fingers as he operates it since holding the leash doesn’t really hinder his ability to play~

GAME:

~Wheatley goes out to open the door, but it opens before his “hacking” is even started and Chell ends up startling him, and they head off to find the neurotoxin~

MASTER:

Wheatley’s not really that bright, is he? Sort of makes you feel bad for him.

DOCTOR:

I tend to feel bad for the dull, though a lot of the time they’re annoying and/or pointing a gun at someone… Usually me. ~finds he’s gotten off-topic, leaning back in his chair without pulling his leash taut as he watches the screen~

GAME:

~Wheatley guides Chell to the neurotoxin generator, briefly talking about how he almost feels sort for the turrets plummeting into oblivion because they’re equipped to feel artificial pain. After a bit of laser-ing the neurotoxin generator implodes, and Wheatley and Chell get sucked into a broken tube~

DOCTOR:

Oh of course they can feel pain because that’s definitely necessary for a turret. ~thinks back to the wires in the console that recoiled in fear at his knife, wondering if they could feel it and if they were really afraid of the artificial pain and death, seeming to space out a bit in thought~

GAME:

~Wheatley gets separated into a different tube, and only when the Master gets to the point where he’s peering through a portal at a door that says “cake dispensary and GLaDOS emergency shutdown” does he realize the Doctor’s spaced-out nature~

MASTER:

~tugs just a little harder than necessary at his leash~ come on, this could be important.

DOCTOR:

~flinces visibly, shaking his head before looking back at the screen~ sorry, I was just thinking about something. ~focuses on the game as well as keeping himself focused, taking a moment to catch himself up on what’s happened~

GAME:

~jumps down into the room, finding that it was a trap as GLaDOS pulls the floor away and slides the small glass chamber underneath into the mainframe room, trying to kill Chell with turrets (which explode) and neurotoxin, which only results in Wheatley tumbling down the tube instead. The system asks for a core transfer after claiming GLaDOS is corrupt~

MASTER:

~grimaces slightly in remembrance of the old mainframe room~

DOCTOR:

~sets a hand gently on the Master’s shoulder blade in an attempt to comfort him, visibly discomforted himself when they push the button and the cores are actually transferred with a good deal of screaming, the scene mirroring what he had seen when the Master was put onto the old mainframe~

MASTER:

~shrugs the Doctor off, giving him a brief apologetic glance for his impulsive behavior before focusing back on the game~

GAME:

~Wheatley is installed, beginning to send the lift up to the exit before stopping indecisively, the lights in the room dimming to red as his chuckle turns into a maniacal laugh, making a point of showing his superiority to Chell in the current situation when the lift comes back down to ground level~

DOCTOR:

~lets his hand fall to his side after the Master shrugs it off, watching the screen but noticing the Master’s glance, mentally accepting the implied apology~ I never thought Wheatley was one to get power-crazed.

MASTER:

Maybe it’s the mainframe… ~watches~

GAME:

~Wheatley pulls GLaDOS into the pit, taking out a potato battery and showing it to Chell as he explains that She lives in it now. GLaDOS says Wheatley used to be an Intelligence Dampening Sphere and his main function was to be a moron; to which Wheatley denies being a moron as he throws the potato into the elevator with Chell and proceeds to punch the elevator down into its shaft~

DOCTOR:

Now I feel kind of bad for calling him dull… but yeah, it probably is the mainframe. ~watches Wheatley break the elevator, wondering if he’s trying to break it or move it down, figuring either way he’s being a bit idiotic~

GAME:

~the bottom of the elevator gives out, sending Chell and GLaDOS plummeting through the seemingly endless shaft~

MASTER:

~hands the controller over to the Doctor, still holding onto his leash~

GAME:

~GLaDOS casually asks how Chell’s holding up, and they pass depth markings on the walls occasionally to show how far down they’ve gone~

GLaDOS:

* _This_ is what I was talking about.*

DOCTOR:

So you were put into a potato and dropped and probably needed Chell’s help; big deal. ~takes the controller as the one-sided conversation continues with GLaDOS explaining the situation as negatively as it seems like one could, biting back a continuation of his argument towards GLaDOS~

GLaDOS:

*And my facility was overtaken by a complete idiot.*

GAME:

~after seemingly going unconscious when Chell hits a boarded barrier, she wakes up in a wrecked area and GLaDOS is taken away by a crow. There are a few things on fire in the surrounding area, serving as the only good sources of light~

DOCTOR:

There are different types of wisdom. ~walks where the game seems to want him to, thinking as he does so and speaking conversationally to GLaDOS~ you know, there’s practically a whole race that fails at putting humans into machines; they have to take away all feeling or else they explode.

GLaDOS:

*Oh, and what race would that be?*

MASTER:

~lets his eyes drift away from the screen, fidgeting slightly in his seat; he focuses on his hands as he sets them in his lap and fiddles with the Doctor’s leash, gently pulling it taut~

DOCTOR:

~gets around to what looks like an old testing chamber designed to introduce repulsion gel, going through it as he speaks~ Cybermen… they took humans and “upgraded” them to cybernetic technology that kept the brain and such intact but reprogrammed. ~notices the Master’s actions, wondering if he’s okay between the addiction and the drums but acting as if the thought hadn’t crossed his mind~

GLaDOS:

*Interesting.*

MASTER:

~when Cave Johnson starts talking he glances up for a brief moment, but his gaze drifts back down as he leans back in the chair, bringing his legs up and resting his knees on the arm of the chair. Tracing unseen patterns on the leather, he very quietly hums a few notes of the old song the Doctor had started singing in the elevator back when they were stuck in the facility, just enough for the tune to be recognizable before stopping; knows the Doctor probably hasn’t remembered that moment yet as he fiddles with the leash halfheartedly~

DOCTOR:

~clearly remembers the song itself, continuing the tune where the Master left off as a faint version of the lost memory resurfaces, consisting only of the elevator and the tune. Continues testing as he hums the ancient song, figuring out the different gels fairly easily~

MASTER:

~glances over at the Doctor with a sad look, quickly focusing downward again when he finds himself starting to tear up, glaring the tears away and clenching his hands around the lead, trying to stop himself from channeling it all into anger and violence. Manages to adopt a neutral expression again, but he still grips the Doctor’s leash with both hands as if it’s a stress ball, his knuckles going pale from the strength of his hold~

DOCTOR:

~notices the Master’s reaction after a moment, stopping his humming and realizing his mind is still holding back the majority of his more painful memories. Whispers almost inaudibly, still staring at the screen~ sorry.

MASTER:

~replies quietly but not whispering like the Doctor was, his voice thick and trying to sound cross~ don’t apologize, you twat. ~turns onto his side with his back to the Doctor, taking the leash with him and consequently giving the Doctor’s collar a somewhat purposeful yank. Isn’t paying attention at all to the game anymore~

GAME:

~Chell comes across GLaDOS, who is calling for Chell’s help as she is repeatedly pecked by a bird and responds with “ow” each time~

DOCTOR:

~picks GLaDOS up and continues with the game, considering continuing on his apology but he thinks that might be pushing it, letting the Master yank his collar without complaint, wondering exactly what he’s missing from his memories, figuring there’s a little more than 860 years he just doesn’t remember and stopping himself from grimacing at the fact~

MASTER:

~curls up on himself, his hold on the Doctor’s leash slipping as he lets it fall, shuddering slightly and he gives a small, muffled sniffle before hesitantly speaking with hopeful positivity~ …you’re pretty good at singing, anyway.

DOCTOR:

~smiles faintly, pausing the game to look over at the Master as he speaks~ thank you… are-… are you alright? ~concerned, wonders exactly why the Master chose now—when something is so clearly wrong—to compliment his singing~

MASTER:

Oh yes, I’m positively dandy. ~smiles and sounds overly cheerful, either making it obvious that he’s not alright or he has seriously impaired judgement. Remains facing away from the Doctor as he speaks, looking around his immediate vicinity for something to keep his hands occupied; ends up just stuffing them in between the cushions of the chair~

DOCTOR:

~sounds increasingly worried~ Master…? I mean, I don’t mean to pry, but this _really_ doesn’t look “positively dandy”… ~tries to remain cautious in the way he asks for more information, knowing how the Master can respond to his ignorance regardless of whose fault it is that he doesn’t have the information~

MASTER:

~still doesn’t turns to address the Doctor when he replies~ honestly, I didn’t think you were this thick—of course I’m not alright. I’m screwed up, remember? Positively screwed up. ~stuffs his hands further down into the cushions, sounding satisfied at the revision to his previous statement~ now, that’s a much better word.

DOCTOR:

Well, I don’t know! You’re all over the map recently as far as mood’s concerned; you’re fine, you’re horrible, you’re great, you’re sadistic, you’re stupid, you’re brilliant, you’re sorry, you’re screwed up; I can’t keep up! Meanwhile, we’re trying to get out of this mess and I’m completely willing to take the drums back if you want, I know it has to be impossible difficult between them and your addiction but- ~cuts off abruptly, realizing he’s got himself worked up and shaking his head~

MASTER:

~turns himself slightly to look at the Doctor in distress, his hands remaining in the cushion~ what? I-… ~glances downward, getting quieter and speaking timidly~ …did I not tell you that GLaDOS took them?

DOCTOR:

~just looks at the Master as if in utter disbelief for a moment. Finally speaks~ no. No you didn’t. You just said you were feeling great and asked me how I was doing and we went on to talk about what happened. ~seems more astonished than anything else that the Master managed to forget to tell him that~

MASTER:

~brings his hands up to his face, curling into a ball again and breathing shakily~ I-I’m sorry; how the hell could I have forgotten? ~the question is a little quieter as if he’s asking himself, sounding disappointed and distraught~

DOCTOR:

~sets the remote control aside, sighing slightly and bringing a hand up a little hesitantly to gently rub the Master’s back in an attempt to comfort him. Wonders what’s making the Master act like this if he can’t be the drums, murmuring~ it’s okay… really, I’ve forgotten more before.

MASTER:

~flinches, startled by the contact but he doesn’t protest it, beginning to shiver uncontrollably underneath the Doctor’s hand. His breathing becomes heavier and he looks a little scared now as well as distressed, closing his eyes tightly and swallowing back tears~

DOCTOR:

Master… what’s wrong? ~tries to keep himself calm in the situation, managing to mask a rising fear for the Master with mere concern, wondering if this is the addiction or if GLaDOS added something new to their list of problems~

MASTER:

~panting lightly, he turns over and opens his eyes slightly to look at the Doctor, which doesn’t really help him much since his vision is blurred by tears. Manages to keep any of them from falling as he reaches out to touch the Doctor in an attempt to comfort himself~ exactly.

DOCTOR:

~the statement just confuses him more, keeping himself calm and leaning in toward the Master to allow the other Timelord to reach him easily~ exactly…? ~speaks softly, making it clear he doesn’t quite understand the Master’s statement~

MASTER:

~rests his head on the Doctor’s chest, his hands feeling up to the Doctor’s shoulders as he gets his breath back, trying to delay having to explain more. Speaks hurriedly when he finally does, his voice muffled but comprehensible~ me. Y-you said my name; you were practically answering your own question… ~it gets harder to keep his voice steady the longer he speaks~ God, I’m pathetic. ~comments shamefully as if he’s just noticed how much he’s let himself fall apart~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master, propping himself up better with one arm while he wraps the other around the Master~ you’re not wrong or pathetic, Master… If you weren’t here, I’d probably be dead.

MASTER:

Why? ~shudders, bringing his hands down to cling to the lapels of the Doctor’s suit jacket, pulling the other Timelord closer to himself although there’s not much room to do so~

DOCTOR:

If I were doing this on my own survival wouldn’t be top priority; I’d have given up and blown Her mainframe up with me in it directly after I saw the TARDIS taken apart.

GLaDOS:

*Really?* ~unnecessary sound of rustling papers, just for effect~ *My data shows otherwise…*

MASTER:

~a moment after GLaDOS speaks he closes his eyes and relaxes slightly~

DOCTOR:

I’m different when I don’t have someone with me… trust me. ~looks at the Master, still concerned~ and either way things would have been worse without the Master.

GLaDOS:

*Remember what I said about trust and/or blind faith? …oh… maybe you don’t; you _were_ quite intoxicated.*

MASTER:

~nuzzles the Doctor’s chest slightly, sniffling repeatedly but seeming considerably more quieted and calm~

DOCTOR:

I don’t think I remember being intoxicated and not in the parallel… ~thinks for a second~ was this before you wiped my memory? There’s still a good amount missing. ~subconsciously rubs the Master’s back comfortingly~

GLaDOS:

*Sorry about that; I’ve been meaning to give them back, but as you said, there’s still plenty missing. Giving all of your memories back at once might be dangerous.*

TARDIS:

~despite Her statement the TARDIS finds herself able to channel about 50 years worth of the Doctor’s earliest memories back to him, which she does so eagerly~

MASTER:

~shudders against the Doctor with a noiseless sob, trying to keep himself under control to prevent another breakdown~

DOCTOR:

~tries to stop himself from visibly responding to the memories, just looking more focused for a moment as his mind recollects the Timelord Academy and his family, strong and weak emotions from them mix with his mood now. As soon as his mind is sorted enough to do so he responds~ it’s fine; I’d rather be confused than dead.

GLaDOS:

*And I’m sure both the Master and I feel the same.*

MASTER:

~he only nods slightly against the Doctor’s chest, not complaining about the fact that GLaDOS is practically speaking for him. Leans into the Doctor, tightly closing his eyes as he fails to stop a silent tear from sliding down his face, shivering slightly~

DOCTOR:

I appreciate that; even though I know that the only reason you don’t want me to die is science. ~looks back at the Master, wrapping both of his arms around the other Timelord and muttering to him~ we can do something else—be it a different game or something altogether different—if you want; keep out minds off of things, right?

MASTER:

~relaxes noticeably in the Doctor’s arms, sniffling again and speaking quietly to match the Doctor’s volume~ sure… ~gives a small smile~ could you just… talk for a bit? I don’t mind what about.

DOCTOR:

~smiles back, speaking softly after thinking for a second~ I could go through things with Rose; it could help me remember things, too. Killing two birds with one stone, as some might say.

MASTER:

~rests his head sideways on the Doctor’s chest, humming with a quiet, wordless approval as his eyes drift closed. After a brief moment he sniffles once more, quieter this time~

DOCTOR:

~nods, still worried about what brought the Master to break his usual tough façade but pushing the thought aside as he thinks back, managing to dig up the day he met Rose and speaking again after a moment~ Well, I had just regenerated directly after the end of the Time War, so naturally I found some alien trouble in London. I had been chasing a living plastic alien race mostly disguised as mannequins and Rose was closing shop somewhere and I got her out just before the place exploded… I think that was my fault. Anyway, she asked who I was and I was quite dramatically mysterious. In the end, Rose, Micky Smith, and I got rid of the sentient plastic and I offered to take Rose with me. She obviously came with, and we were off. That was all last regeneration, I was bald-ish and wore a leather jacket like a nerd trying too hard to be cool.

MASTER:

~chuckles at the Doctor’s descriptions, smiling contentedly as he listens to the Doctor’s voice and only somewhat pays attention to what he’s actually saying, nuzzling the Doctor’s chest slightly as if gesturing for him to go on~

DOCTOR:

So anyways, we flew off to the day before the end of the world; literally the day before Earth was engulfed in the flames of its sun. We were on Platform One and there were little robotic contraptions that spied on people and hacked things… Oh and there was the last pure human who hardly looked human at all the way she had herself preserved; the first living trampoline, really. Anyways, everyone there was almost killed but I stopped that and Cassandra, the human trampoline, dried up and broke. We left after that, a few good people died that day but I was still fresh from the war. Next we went to a case of aliens posing as spirits killing then possessing corpses, that was unsettling but we sent them home packing in the end. I brought Rose back home a year late after that, and that was the first time I had been slapped by someone’s mother and then Jackie tried to flirt with me, after things were sorted.

MASTER:

~starts drifting off as the Doctor speaks; by the time the Doctor pauses he’s already fallen into a light sleep, breathing gently and becoming completely relaxed~

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the Master, glad that sleep doesn’t seem to intimidate the Master anymore and letting him sleep, not really wanting to sleep himself given the dreams he had last time. Hums the tune he had been before quietly to himself~

~•~

MASTER:

~sleeps peacefully for a good while, eventually waking up without moving his position, smiling slightly when he hears the song again and nuzzling the Doctor faintly in the way that he had before in order to gesture for the Doctor to go on~

DOCTOR:

Did you have a good sleep, though? ~speaks as if the nuzzle had been a clear statement, still smiling slightly though he’s still not used to the Master acting how he has been recently~

MASTER:

Yeah. ~tilts his head up, smiling and bringing a hand up to the Doctor’s shoulder as he gives the Doctor a small kiss on the cheek; looks down afterward, seeming crestfallen~ sorry about all that.

DOCTOR:

~smiles warmly at the Master~ don’t be. You have nothing to be sorry for. ~vaguely remembers the Master saying something very similar to him~

MASTER:

~nods slightly towards the ground, figuring it’s best not to argue. Gently pulls away from the Doctor, sitting back in his seat and looking up at the screen before glancing at the Doctor~ so… should we finish up the game?

DOCTOR:

Sure; can’t have too much left, can we? ~picks the controller back up as he sits up, un-pausing the game and offering the controller to the Master~ I played last, I think, so it’s your go if you want it.

MASTER:

Right, yes. ~takes the controller and drowsily gets himself reacquainted with the game, continuing through the test chamber the Doctor had stopped in, in which GLaDOS replies to Cave Johnson along with pre-recorded Caroline and short circuits due to panicked thinking~

DOCTOR:

~leans back in his chair, the position rather comfortable after holding up the Master’s weight for however long that was. Keeps forcing himself to remain focused as something important could happen at any point~

GAME:

~goes through a few more tests before GLaDOS wakes back up, concluding that thinking too much would probably make her fry her own systems. After another test or so Cave goes off on his “lemons” rant and GLaDOS eagerly agrees with him along the way~

DOCTOR:

That’s an interesting variation on the saying… don’t make something bad as good as you can, fight it. Fight whatever’s bad, use it to your advantage, force it to help. ~watches thoughtfully~

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor briefly; gives a small nod, taking note of his comment and continuing with the game~

GAME:

~GLaDOS decides that they’re going to stop Wheatley from self-destructing the facility even if it kills them, finding a poster about paradoxes and formulating their plan off of it. Soon later they get back to a newer looking part of the facility, and are surely on their way back to the modern areas of Aperture~

DOCTOR:

Oh yeah; sorry I’m not sorry about the paradox riddle thing, if you’re listening, GLaDOS. ~continues watching, thinking having the facility destroyed would have been better than living on Chell’s part though he doesn’t wish Chell dead~

GLaDOS:

*Oh, it’s fine. Whatever you pulled out of me—lack of it has rather improved my performance.*

MASTER:

~smiles briefly as he plays, quick enough that it could’ve been missed with a blink~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t seem to catch the Master’s change in expression, watching the screen and dismissing GLaDOS’ statement to the back of his head; they’re playing games to take their mind off things, after all~

GAME:

~they make it back to “Wheatley” Laboratories, where Wheatley is testing Frankenturrets. GLaDOS tries the paradox on him but apparently he doesn’t think logically enough to be affected by it~

DOCTOR:

That’s… kind of sad, almost… he’s either too messed up or too ignorant to even malfunction properly. ~is clearly talking about Wheatley as he continues to stare at the screen~

MASTER:

~chuckles, continuing through Wheatley’s absurdly easy tests~ I wonder if this is a perfectly exact account of previous events… ~glances upward as if to ask GLaDOS, but he doesn’t do so directly; continuing the game with a small shrug when She doesn’t confirm anything after a few moments~

DOCTOR:

It has to be pretty exact if GLaDOS admits she was actually put into a potato, I mean, that’s a bit of a bizarre detail. ~watches the simple test, exercising his mind by trying to remember past events in order to not get bored~

GAME:

~eventually Wheatley himself gets bored, and puts Chell through more complicated tests while trying to prove his intelligence to both Chell and GLaDOS~

MASTER:

~just for fun he figures out how to smash Wheatley’s monitor in each chamber, ending up dying in game multiple times without being very worried about it like the Doctor was in the beginning~

DOCTOR:

~watches the test chambers go by, sorting through the first 50 years of his life carefully, trying not to think of the fact that he’s killed all except one person in those memories though either way the memories taint his mood slightly~

MASTER:

~keeps playing through the tests until Wheatley’s ‘surprise’, in which he attempts to kill Chell with crushers. After he escapes the situation the Master sets the controller in the Doctor’s lap, sitting back and resting his cheek on the Doctor’s shoulder~

DOCTOR:

~picks the controller up and continues, focusing more on the game now as he plays it, smiling slightly at the Master briefly before continuing~ I’m just glad Chell’s clever; otherwise her and Wheatley wouldn’t be able to function well, not to mention the fact that they’d probably still be in the facility.

MASTER:

~seems more interested in the game now that it involves crushers, turrets, and grinders~ what do you mean by function?

DOCTOR:

I mean that in order to function on Earth you need money and you need something to give to society for money. ~plays through the tests, remembering the grinders and crushers from their tests and stopping himself from being visibly uncomfortable around the turrets~

MASTER:

At least Wheatley doesn’t really need money to survive. I bet his usefulness is quite limited, considering his primary function according to the game. ~gestures slightly to the screen, frowning a little when Wheatley goes out on a limb and politely asks Chell if she’d just kill herself and make all this easier~

DOCTOR:

At least he’s nice. ~continues testing while trying to die as little as possible~ I mean, he’s ignorant, but all around he’s a pretty decent guy, especially considering his “origin story” as it were.

MASTER:

Yeah.

GAME:

~Chell seems to be getting close to the mainframe room; they pass by a glass wall, behind which there is a pile of corrupt cores, which includes Rick. GLaDOS tells Chell to plug her into the docking station and She’ll bring them up, and She’ll put a few corrupted cores into the room for Chell to attach to the mainframe~

DOCTOR:

Well, that explains Rick… ~continues on to Wheatley’s mainframe to “corrupt” him, speaking as he plays~ it does make sense that plugging in too many cores would make it hard to impossible to serve any purpose, let alone the designated one.

GLaDOS:

*Now that I think about it I probably shouldn’t have allowed you to play through this game…*

MASTER:

~watches as Wheatley hurls bombs at Chell and the different cores are attached to him; chuckles slightly when Rick starts talking to Chell and even flirts with her a little~

DOCTOR:

We never intended to corrupt or replace you with a different core; that’d be an easy enough task. ~smiles as he gets up to Rick, plugging the adventure core into the mainframe and needing only one more to fully corrupt him, successfully getting the last one onto Wheatley~

MASTER:

~loosely hooks his arm around the Doctor’s as his head rests on the other Timelord’s shoulder, watching as the gameplay goes into a cut scene~

GAME:

~the neurotoxin countdown stops, and Chell shoots a portal up at the moon (for some odd reason). When she shoots the second portal on the floor beneath Wheatley he gets sucked out into space; Chell holds onto him for a while but eventually he falls through and GLaDOS pulls Chell back inside, closing the portal as Chell seems to black out temporarily~

DOCTOR:

~seems much more interested by the second half of the cut scene than anything else, seeming entirely focused on the screen as if trying to decode a message~

GAME:

~GLaDOS, back in her proper casing, explains to Chell that she realized that Chell was her ‘best friend’ all along, but the most important thing she realized was where Caroline lived in her brain—after which an announcing voice comments “Carolone; deleted” and GLaDOS claims that she’s decided to let Chell go on the condition that she doesn’t come back~

DOCTOR:

~smiles a little, his voice a little smug when he speaks~ so you saved her. You saved her and let her go to live her own life… you _cared_ about Chell. ~seems rather satisfied by confirmation of GLaDOS’ human nature~

GLaDOS:

*WHAT? I did _not!*_ ~indignantly trying to deny the Doctor’s statement~ *She was dangerous and annoying and hard to kill. And… she helped me. I had made a promise to let her go.*

DOCTOR:

You could have simply let her get sucked out into space and fulfilled your promise, but you didn’t. You did, therefore, want her alive. ~his tone is a little arrogant and he grins as he feels he’ll win this argument~

GAME:

~as they’re talking the elevator moves upward, stopping in front of a row of turrets pointing directly at Chell, with their guns ready~

GLaDOS:

~before anything else happens GLaDOS shuts the screen down in defiance~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles, setting the controller down on the arm of his chair~ you know, you’re only proving me right. I _know_ you didn’t shoot her. I’d bet money those were the choir turrets.

GLaDOS:

*How can you be sure? You can live through a few bullet wounds, especially the ones from turrets.*

MASTER:

~has lets his eyes drift closed again by now, snuggling up to the Doctor’s arm~

DOCTOR:

If those turrets opened fire there not only would Chell have been dead, you wouldn’t have shut the screen down. That many turrets aimed into a small elevator with no way to be rid of them; there’s no way she’d have gotten out alive unless you let her.

GLaDOS:

*Alright, alright; I let her go alive, technically I owed her that much.* ~she sounds a little threatening now~ *However I advise you not to pick a fight with me in the future.*

MASTER:

~flinches and he tightens his grip around the Doctor’s arm briefly~

DOCTOR:

~glances at the Master when he flinches~ fine; you’ve gotten you point across. ~glares up as if at GLaDOS, knowing her upper-hand is limited to the TARDIS and the Master and almost wishing it reached him~

MASTER:

~relaxes, bringing a hand up to the Doctor’s left shoulder and rubbing it gently in a reassuring manner~ it’s okay, Doctor. ~is talking about GLaDOS’ methods of discipline although he doesn’t specify that fact~

DOCTOR:

~understands the Master’s statement and relaxes slightly, responding to him a little grumpily~ it’s not fair that you and the TARDIS get punished if I do something wrong.

MASTER:

Well then… don’t do something wrong. ~seems helpfully positive, his mood unaffected by GLaDOS’s actions~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, nodding~ I just want to get out of our situation and go back to saving this bloody planet and finding new ones… and I thought the _Daleks_ were bad. I’d happily face off with them right about now.

MASTER:

~goes thoughtfully silent for a while, glancing upward briefly before lowering his gaze and speaking quietly~ it’s not _all_ bad…

DOCTOR:

~looks over at the Master, giving a small smile~ of course it’s not. Nothing’s ever _all_ bad. ~looks thoughtful for a second, shaking his head~ sorry, I’ve gotten myself in a bad mood.

MASTER:

Why? ~snuggles up to the Doctor, smiling slightly as his right hand comes up to rest on the Doctor’s cheek~

DOCTOR:

~smiles back at the Master wholeheartedly, explaining~ on top of the fact that GLaDOS is as usual, mass remembering tends to affect my mood depending on the memories. I’m not complaining; there’s no way I’m remembering everything relatively soon unless I actually try to remember. ~mentally emphasizes the fact that he truly appreciates the TARDIS returning the first 50 years of his life~

TARDIS:

~acknowledges the Doctor’s thanks~

MASTER:

~strokes the Doctor’s cheek slightly in a comforting manner~ at least now you’ve got 50 years less to remember, though. It’s a considerable improvement.

DOCTOR:

~nods slightly, letting his worries leave him for a second as he speaks casually~ yeah. So… what should we do now in the infinites of the TARDIS?

MASTER:

~lets his hand come down to rest on the arm of the chair~ you mentioned something of a shooting range…? ~asks hopefully as he smiles innocently up at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

Yeah. ~gets up, starting toward the door~ you’ve been particularly positive recently, I noticed… Anything particular happen? ~thinks back to the Master’s meltdown, finding the Master has been acting a little oddly~

MASTER:

What, is there something wrong with being cheerful? ~slides off of the chair to follow the Doctor, giving him a confused look to hide his slight worry as he completely avoids having to answer the Doctor’s question~

DOCTOR:

No need to be protective, I was just curious. ~continues out, turning left into the hall~ the shooting range is further from the console room given I haven’t used it since-… Well, at some point during the Time War it stopped being useful.

MASTER:

Don’t get lost, then. ~smirks slightly as he follows behind the Doctor, feeling just a bit relieved that the Doctor’s question seems to have been successfully averted~

DOCTOR:

I wouldn’t get lost in my own TARDIS… ~his mind helpfully supplies a few times he actually did~ and even if I did, the TARDIS would help me out.

MASTER:

Probably, but it would still be an unnecessary setback. ~shrugs slightly, glancing around the hallway absentmindedly~

DOCTOR:

I didn’t know we could have setbacks without a time table or goal. ~walks casually down the hall though he’s really started to question if the Master’s really as okay as he’d seem at first glance~

MASTER:

Getting to the shooting range could be a goal, ~seems distantly thoughtful for a brief moment, as if he had intended to add something else. His step falters slightly but he’s smiling despite himself~

DOCTOR:

Fair enough. ~after walking a bit further down the hall, turns left into another hall~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the doors seem to become more spread apart though one could assume the rooms are just larger~

MASTER:

~looks down at his feet as he walks, beginning to put a small, peppy skip in his step and quietly humming random bits and pieces of the “Want You Gone” tune, which should be unfamiliar to the both of them since GLaDOS didn’t let them finish the game~

DOCTOR:

~catches onto the tune, trying to place a name for it~ I don’t think I’ve ever heard that before. ~sounds conversational, simply trying to break the silence~ does it have a name?

MASTER:

~shrugs~ no clue. ~doesn’t continue to hum the song after that, occasionally breaking out into a happy smile as he walks but trying to stifle it. Looks up to ask the Doctor~ are we close?

DOCTOR:

Yeah. ~is excessively confused by the Master’s change in demeanor by now, walking for a moment longer before opening a door on the right side of the hall to a shooting range with different areas for different skills~

ENVIRONMENT:

~worn targets stand and move in the area and the wall that has the door in it is lined with guns of various sorts from several different species, Gallifreyan weapons take up the areas closest to the door~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor inside, looking around with interest and almost immediately finding his way to browsing through the different weapons, finding the Gallifreyan ones first~ you’ve got quite a collection here. ~glances at the Doctor, still smiling slightly~

DOCTOR:

I wish I could say making this room was just showing off. ~looks at a particularly worn and obviously repaired bulky gun that had been his weapon of choice throughout the Time War~ I’m surprised I didn’t stash this away somewhere.

MASTER:

Stash what away? ~walks along the rows of weapons, stopping to look through ones around eye level as he brushes against the handles of the guns with his right hand. Quickly pulls out one that he likes—a foreign type of handgun—and aims it directly at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

This. ~swiftly takes the old gun off of the wall and readies it in one fluid motion, looking at the Master’s handgun and wondering if his own aim has worsened over time or if he’s still as sharp as he used to be before~

MASTER:

~giggles childishly at the Doctor’s reaction, his aim remaining steady as he recollects himself and smirks at the Doctor~ this reminds me of something—except now it’s more fair.

DOCTOR:

Which something? ~shoots his gun, very purposefully hitting a target on the wall behind the Master a good distance away, looking satisfied as he hits only an inch or two off of the center, the shot going past the Master’s side just centimeters away~

MASTER:

~flinches at the unexpected discharge, glaring playfully back at the Doctor~ when you were aiming that pistol at me. ~turns his handgun away from the Doctor, firing an energy bullet to the side at another target in order to test what the gun shoots, and also to prevent accidentally injuring the Doctor out of ignorance. Quickly aims the gun back at the Doctor, firing it again so that the shot goes past the Doctor’s ear, but inches away instead of centimeters like the Doctor’s first shot was~

DOCTOR:

I wasn’t mentally capable of shooting anyone in that room except _maybe_ Rassilon. ~looks down at his gun, seeming to remember something before looking back at the Master~ scratch that, I was pretty ready to shoot him.

MASTER:

~grins slyly, messing with something on his gun in order to make the bullet less powerful and less likely to permanently or fatally injure. Shifts his feet apart slightly into a prepared stance, deviously smirking at the Doctor and closing one eye in order to get the best aim as he mutters to himself~ and _I’m_ pretty ready to shoot _you._

DOCTOR:

~clearly doesn’t actually expect for the Master to shoot him, putting his large, worn gun back on the wall and looking at mainly Gallifreyan instruments as they’re what he’s really familiar with~

MASTER:

~chuckles at how much the Doctor seems to trust him, aiming for and shooting the Doctor’s left ankle without hesitance, the bullet hot enough to burn through the fabric of the Doctor’s trousers~

DOCTOR:

~yelps, automatically looking at where he was shot, hissing in pain and stopping himself from taking the nearest gun and shooting the Master, taking the bullet out of his ankle by hand and burning his fingers in the process~ what the bloody hell was that for? ~drops the slightly bloody bullet on the floor nearby, no longer making noises of pain though he grimaces~

MASTER:

Science. ~doesn’t stop himself from blurting it out, laughing it off and putting the handgun back before walking over to the Doctor and speaking sincerely as he crouches down to observe the bullet wound~ sorry about that; I got out of hand.

DOCTOR:

No kidding. ~inspects the wound as he would any other though it burns horribly~ I don’t think you managed to break anything though you did nearly burn a hole through my ankle and probably fractured it. I’ve lived through worse.

MASTER:

Yeah; though the setting it was on probably would’ve burned your foot off, so, you’re welcome I suppose. ~stands back up, grabbing a nearby rifle made by some other alien species and keeping it safely pointed to the ground as he thoughtfully examines the firearm~

DOCTOR:

~takes a rather generic stun gun that was used to neutralize rogue aliens without killing them—basically the equivalent to a tranquilizer dart—lifting it to gesture to it~ this is a precautionary measure; if you do something like that again I will shoot you. ~limps over to one corner of the room, retrieving stashed first-aid items for his ankle and putting the stun gun in his trouser pocket in such a way that he could easily whip it out~

MASTER:

~rolls his eyes slightly, turning to face a target on the opposite side of the room~ alright, fine. ~readies the rifle, beginning to fire at the target and hitting it in the general area of the center~

DOCTOR:

~limps back over after a moment, grateful for the Master’s lack of the drums while simultaneously fearing whatever’s making the Master act so oddly, looking over the weapons again while keeping an eye on the Master. Has bandaged his ankle in a rather minimalistic manner and put a small amount of medicines in the injury for the burns~

MASTER:

~stops shooting, lowering the smoking gun and looking at the small marks on the target before turning around and walking back to the shelf~ do you think there’s something like my laser in here? ~puts the rifle back and searches through the other guns eagerly~

DOCTOR:

Probably. ~tries not to sound unnerved at the Master’s question, finding one of the Dalek guns that had been made for the human Daleks, casually shooting a target and listening to the familiar buzzing sound of Dalek weaponry~

MASTER:

~gets startled and flinches badly at the sound of the Dalek gun, knocking over a small, thin-barreled handgun as he turns around and realizes that the shot was just the Doctor. Relaxes and crouches down to pick up the dropped firearm, examining it and accidentally firing it, since the safety had been switched off when it fell; the short laser beam shoots off in a random direction and ends up grazing the Doctor’s arm, just barely burning through the outer fabric of the Doctor’s suit jacket~

DOCTOR:

~flinches at the heat and sound of the shot, looking at the charred portion of his jacket with a mildly disappointed expression, glancing over at the Master and realizing how the Dalek gunshot probably registered in his mind. Looks at the Master apologetically before putting the Dalek gun away, not feeling as if the Master deserves an apology right now~

MASTER:

~puts his hands up defensively, letting the gun swing downwards from where it’s looped around his finger so it’s not seen as a threat~ that was entirely an accident, I swear.

DOCTOR:

I know. I should have said something before shooting a Dalek weapon anyway. ~picks up another foreign weapon, half-heartedly shooting at targets~ I forget that I’m used to it, especially by comparison.

MASTER:

~turns on the safety and hesitantly pockets the gun, walking audibly up to the Doctor as to not startle him and watching him for a bit~ I didn’t think you’d shoot anything while we were here.

DOCTOR:

I thought I’d might as well—being against killing doesn’t mean I can’t shoot a target now and again. ~shoots targets easily as he speaks~ besides, my mind’s still trying to keep me from remembering anything particularly traumatic so I guess I’ve forgotten why I never wanted to use a gun again.

MASTER:

~looks upward briefly~

GLaDOS:

~as if on signal, returns a good chunk of memory, probably about 5 year’s worth, of different times that the Doctor has lost people (of varying importance) to gunfire—including Jenny and also recalling the Master’s Harold Saxon death just for good measure~

DOCTOR:

~grimaces at the memories, nearly dropping the gun in his hand, shakily returning it to its spot on the wall. Pain, hate, fear, dread, and loss all radiate strongly from the memories~ that wasn’t a cue for you to do that. ~speaks quietly, looking at the floor, his voice thick with emotion~

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor, quickly growing concerned. Speaks quietly~ what? ~steps closer to the Doctor, placing a hand comfortingly on his back~

DOCTOR:

~stops himself from flinching at the contact, matching the Master’s volume as he explains without looking up from the floor~ GLaDOS just gave me my memories of every single time I’ve lost someone to gunfire.

MASTER:

…lost interest in shooting, then? ~looks at the gun that the Doctor put away, gently rubbing the other Timelord’s back. Sounds just a little too intrigued by the Doctor’s current mood, and not empathetic enough~

DOCTOR:

~steps away from the Master almost angrily, turning and looking at him. The emotion is erased from his face as he conceals it like he would from a stranger, his voice flat~ I’m tired. ~limps out of the room without stopping to put his stun gun away, heading to the bedroom. Has made himself go mentally numb as he knows that if he hadn’t he’d have blown up at that stranger that has taken the Master’s form~

MASTER:

~looks after him, surprised and hurt for a brief moment before looking considerably interested and pleased with himself. Hesitantly jogs after the Doctor, looking distressed again now that the Doctor can see his expression~ Doctor, what is it?

DOCTOR:

You’re not acting like yourself. I don’t know what’s going on with you but I haven’t slept since you were dead. I should get off of this ankle anyway. ~speaks as he would when calmly explaining a bad situation to his companion~

MASTER:

I’m sorry… ~sounds genuinely disappointed in himself, falling back to walk behind the Doctor and stare down at the floor~

GLaDOS:

~speaks after a moment~ *Would you _like_ to know why?*

DOCTOR:

Yes. ~looks up slightly to address GLaDOS, for once not immediately accepting the Master’s apology, not really expecting a full answer from GLaDOS but figuring it’s worth a shot~

GLaDOS:

*Well, to put it bluntly… The Master, is working for me.* ~says it like it’s an honorable achievement~


	8. Gallifrey

GLaDOS:

*And I’m not forcing him to or anything. He’s done a wonderful job at listening and manipulating certain testing factors as needed.*

MASTER:

~hangs his head because he knows the Doctor might hate him for this, but he can’t help but smile just a little at the praise~

DOCTOR:

~whips around as if in fear, looking at the Master in utter despair and disbelief~ I _know_ you’re not just listening to her on free will. I _know_ there has to be more than this because I wasn’t always there for you, I know, but you’re a dignified and rather stubborn bastard; you wouldn’t just comply to her whim. ~seems to grasp for any reason that doesn’t indicate pure betrayal~

MASTER:

~comes to a halt, looking up to meet the Doctor’s gaze and replying calmly~ but Doctor, it just made _sense._ Haven’t you noticed? Things have been better since I came back; I mean, there are still plenty of problems but they’ve been _fixing_ themselves. ~takes a small step closer to the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~has stopped as well, looking at the Master and trying to remain calm~ I wouldn’t mind if you just did a couple tasks for her; I don’t care that you shot me in the foot if you thought it’d make things better. I care that _you_ aren’t acting like _you_ beyond Her little tasks. Last time I checked, my Master wasn’t intrigued by my reaction to my loss—elated by my suffering, maybe, but not intrigued.

MASTER:

Fine, maybe I share some of Her views now. ~folds his arms, continuing to meet the Doctor’s gaze~ She wanted this to happen, you know. If I hadn’t wanted you to be suspicious in the first place, you wouldn’t have been told.

DOCTOR:

That’s because you’ve let yourself be on Her side. You said you’re still trying to get us- ~the statement clicks in his head as he remembers the Master was trying to get him to leave him behind, wondering if this was part of that~

MASTER:

Yes, I am… ~sounds a bit confused about how the Doctor cut himself off, tilting his head slightly to the side~ what is it now?

DOCTOR:

Hm? Sorry. You said you were still trying to get us out of this while the TARDIS was disconnected. After that there’s too many ways to add two and two. I’m just trying to sort this out.

MASTER:

I didn’t think there was much to sort out—it’s all been explained pretty clearly. ~takes another step forward, starting to walk around the Doctor to continue down the hall as if intending to end the conversation topic~

DOCTOR:

No; because compliance doesn’t change your personality… how long were you in Aperture when I thought you were dead? ~doesn’t follow the Master, just turning to face him and leaning on the wall to reduce pressure on his ankle~

MASTER:

~turns back around to face the Doctor, feeling as if walking off would just be plain rude. Looks downward in thought before meeting the Doctor’s gaze again~ apparently, a little less than a week…

DOCTOR:

Okay… ~thinks for a moment before speaking~ well obviously you’re not a different person; I guess this is all okay… I really was tired, though, I wasn’t just trying to make an excuse to leave. ~starts limping down the hall again at his handicapped speed, trying not to injure his ankle further~

MASTER:

So… you’re just… fine with it? ~looks after the Doctor, waiting a moment before following behind him and matching the Doctor’s slowed pace~

DOCTOR:

I still dislike your change in overall attitude and I don’t like the fact that you’re running errands for GLaDOS but if we’re ever going to get out of this place we have to work together. That means that if you really truly think that this will help until we have a plan, I have to work with that. You are not my enemy. ~continues to limp along, realizing he’d done a bit more than answer the question~ so, in short, I’m not fine with it but I’ll deal with it.

MASTER:

Alright. ~looks thoughtfully at the ground as he walks after the Doctor patiently~ and yes, I’m almost certain it will help… one way to escape is if She lets us go. ~catches up to the Doctor because of his slowed stride, speaking more quietly since he’s right behind the Doctor~ I can simply go back to being ‘me’ if you like.

DOCTOR:

If it’s that easy, yeah. I mean, I don’t want it to be fake, bust if for once it’s as simple as it sounds, yeah. ~sounds as if he expects for there to be a catch—after all, nothing’s been easy so far—making an effort to walk at a more normal pace as they approach the next turn on the way toward the console room~

MASTER:

Well… it’s not as if a slight change in behavior is irreversible. All I need is a bit of motivation. ~smiles slightly to himself almost out of smug satisfaction, looking at the wall to his right thoughtfully as he strides casually along~

DOCTOR:

~nods, seeming satisfied with the solution. Thinks for a second, turning the corner before speaking again~ sorry for treating you as if you were someone less… important to me.

MASTER:

~glances downward suddenly at the Doctor’s words, but he replies without hesitance~ it’s fine… you didn’t have to apologize.

DOCTOR:

~nods slightly, accepting the response though part of him wants to argue that the apology was completely necessary, having nothing else left to say on the topic~

MASTER:

~doesn’t have anything else to bring up either, following the Doctor in slightly awkward silence for the rest of the walk to the bedroom~

DOCTOR:

~walks into the bedroom once they get there, taking his tie off and leaving it at the foot of the bed, sitting on the edge of the bed to carefully take his left shoe off, easily pulling the other off and leaving them on the floor~

MASTER:

~stops in the doorway, looking around indecisively before walking into the room and closing the door behind him. Makes his way over to a walk-in closet on the right wall, opening it and going inside~

DOCTOR:

~looks minorly confused by the Master’s choice to go into the closet, shrugging it off. Lays down, a little hesitant given the fact that he has to lay on his right side—therefore facing away from the closet—but figuring he can trust the Master~

MASTER:

~just closes the closet door, keeping the light off inside the small room as he quietly waits, debating silently with himself~

DOCTOR:

~lets himself relax, mentally going through recent happenings. The adrenaline that had kept the pain in his ankle from being hellish is nearly entirely worn off so he tries his best not to think about it~

MASTER:

~kicks both his shoes off into the opposite wall almost angrily, leaving them there in the closet as he opens the door and walks out again, going over to lie down on the right side of the bed next to the Doctor. Stares dutifully up at the ceiling, knowing he has no intention of actually sleeping~

DOCTOR:

~drowsily speaks on auto-pilot~ you alright? ~it’s clear as he speaks that he’s already half-asleep, not having a reason to ask the question beyond reassuring himself before he goes to sleep~

MASTER:

~rolls his eyes slightly as if it’s a ridiculous question~ just go to sleep. ~turns over onto his side to face the Doctor, gently snuggling up to the other Timelord’s back as he stares downward, wide awake~

DOCTOR:

Okay. ~drifts off into a slightly restless sleep, having been too close to sleep already to care about the Master’s exasperated response~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when the Doctor wakes up the Master is gone; he’s absolutely nowhere to be seen and the TARDIS seems ignorantly bemused. There’s a piece of paper in the Doctor’s breastpocket, places there so as to not be noticed right away; it’s a note that reads “this is me, being me” in Gallifreyan~

DOCTOR:

~looks around, seeming to grow concerned. Grimaces at the pain in his ankle when he moves, getting off of the bed and glancing at the exit and the closet door in turn. Mentally asks the TARDIS where the Master is despite the fact that she seems as knowledgeable as him on the matter, realizing the note as he reties his tie, sighing as he reads it~ what now?

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Master seems to have left his shoes as they were in the closet with the door open~

TARDIS:

~seems to contentedly preoccupied to reply coherently to the Doctor~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the whole ship sways gently, the movement hardly noticeable~

DOCTOR:

~goes to jog out of the room as he would during any confusion, faltering and nearly falling when he puts pressure on his shot ankle, not bothering to put his shoes on before limping out, forcing himself to go at at least a regular walking pace, heading toward the console room~

TARDIS:

~notices the Doctor’s approach, expressing excitement yet seeming faintly worried about the Master, still in a state of hazy contentment and therefore finding it hard to know why she’s worried~

DOCTOR:

~goes as fast as he can without hurting himself, exaggerating his concern in an attempt to get the TARDIS out of her daze, approaching the console room~

TARDIS:

~becomes slightly more attentive at the Doctor’s telepathic nudge, but she struggles to search around and takes a while to even confirm that the Master isn’t in the ship~

DOCTOR:

Then why are you so ever-living gleeful!? ~limps through the console a little slowly, shaking his head when he realizes how frustrated his tone is and expressing a small apology to the TARDIS for it~

TARDIS:

~as a response the TARDIS doors open a little weakly to show stars and the void of space~

ENVIRONMENT:

~but below is a planet, similar to the Gallifrey look-alike at first glance; although upon closer inspection it is much bigger and much, much more familiar~

DOCTOR:

~just stares at the planet once he sees it, not sure whether to be terrified or gleeful so he’s practically paralyzed, memories flashing through his head so fast it’s dizzying~ how—wh—the Maste-… ~closes the door, practically stumbling over himself but successfully getting to the console and checking their coordinates~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the coordinates check out; the TARDIS is actually in orbit around the real Gallifrey. The sticky note that’s usually on the monitor has been moved to the center so it’s more noticeable; the Doctor’s original scrawls are unchanged but a single English word has been squeezed in between, reading “parallel” in the Master’s handwriting~

TARDIS:

~seems to be getting less and less attentive~

DOCTOR:

Thank you for not leaving me completely in the dark. ~realizes he’s talking to a sticky note, starting to steer them towards parallel Gallifrey~ well; we have 6 hours to find the Master and then do whatever the hell we want. ~lands the TARDIS on Gallifrey, hesitant to go out~

TARDIS:

~her excitement heightens now that they’ve landed, although she struggles to keep herself conscious since she’s running on a low amount of power. She seems a little more worried than usual before powering down to recharge~

DOCTOR:

~walks up to the TARDIS doors, wondering whether to expect childhood Gallifrey or war-ridden Gallifrey. Opens the doors to the familiar planet, holding onto one should he stumble~

ENVIRONMENT:

~outside it looks like early evening, with the two suns low in the sky and the red grass waving gently; not too far away is a lone house, vaguely familiar to the Doctor in his early memory. All of it is so much better than the look-alike in comparison~

DOCTOR:

~closes the TARDIS doors behind him, looking around him in awe as his mind swarms with extremely vague memories, sauntering over to the lone house and opening the door having entirely forgotten about knocking as the area felt so welcomingly familiar~

BOY:

~a young, black-haired boy in a red Academy robe pushes past the Doctor as soon as the door is opened as if he was already on his way out, his step faltering in surprise when he notices that the door opened before he got to it. Gives the Doctor a brief confused glance, his eyes then immediately drawn to the TARDIS~ is that a TARDIS!? ~speaks excitedly despite the fact that he doesn’t know who the Doctor is~

DOCTOR:

~nods at the boy with a friendly smile~ yes; she’s mine. ~seems to suddenly remember his manners in the midst of his excitement~ sorry if I’ve interrupted you. I’ve been away and I didn’t know if anyone lived here anymore.

BOY:

Why wouldn’t they? ~tilts his head to the side and gives the Doctor a confused, yet interested look, starting to heartily wander towards the TARDIS after a moment. The boy’s voice and actions also register as familiar in the Doctor’s mind~

DOCTOR:

~gains a great interest in this child as well, figuring the Master won’t get himself in too much trouble~ it was always so distant from everything else. I’m the Doctor, by the way.

BOY:

Oh, nice to meet you. ~turns slightly to talk to the Doctor, smiling~ you can call me Kosh. ~giggles, twirling in the blades of red grass once before running up to the TARDIS excitedly~

DOCTOR:

~the name hits him instantly and he stares at Kosh for a second, wondering if this was part of the Master’s plan or if this was coincidence. After a second he snaps back to attention, realizing where Kosh is running and limping after him~ nice to meet you too, Kosh… You don’t happen to know anyone who goes by the name of Theta Sigma; they’d be around your age, they’d be around your age, they’re a child of a friend of mine.

KOSH:

~runs around the outside of the TARDIS once, stopping suddenly at the mention of Theta’s name. He seems to lose some of his cheery and energetic nature, looking back at the Doctor with tears in his eyes~ so, have you come to torment me then? Or do you just not know?

DOCTOR:

~is extremely taken aback, speaking sincerely~ I told you, I’ve been away; I just wanted to know how the lad’s doing. ~looks genuinely worried, meeting Kosh’s gaze~ did something happen?

KOSH:

Oh, he’s doing fine… ~looks at the ground, kicking at it for good measure~ if… if you consider dead to be fine. ~speaks solemnly, having trouble getting out the second part of his statement~

DOCTOR:

I-I’m so sorry, I didn’t know… ~his own gaze drops to the familiarly red grass as he wants to ask more questions but he figures it’s best not to~

KOSH:

~sniffs quietly, looking back up at the Doctor suspiciously~ why did you come here if you wanted to know about him, anyway? ~leans back against the TARDIS with a small frown~ what’s _your_ name?

DOCTOR:

You wouldn’t believe me if I told you my original name. I really had just meant to go home. ~looks at the ground, sorry he had asked about himself at all~

KOSH:

You don’t have to tell me. ~walks up to the Doctor, grabbing onto the Doctor’s suit jacket with both hands and pulling the other Timelord closer to himself, taking a whiff of the Doctor’s scent and going still after a moment~

DOCTOR:

I’m from a parallel. Parallel you brought the TARDIS here while I was asleep. ~his voice is quiet as he explains the situation, not at all taken off-guard by Kosh sniffing him but knowing he can’t keep Kosh from identifying him now~

KOSH:

~shakily lets go of the Doctor’s jacket, staring forward at his suit blankly for a few moments in thought. Abruptly shoves himself forward into the Doctor, knocking the breath out of him as he wraps his arms as tightly as he can around the Doctor’s waist, breathing in his scent repeatedly to the point where he’s almost hyperventilating~

DOCTOR:

~nearly falls over due to his ankle, looking down at Kosh in empathy and letting his arms wrap loosely around the younger Timelord, knowing nothing he could say could fix this and failing to think of anything fitting to say anyway~

KOSH:

~pries himself away after a few moments, looking up at the Doctor with a hardened expression that finds its way back to a mildly cheery one, glancing at the TARDIS as he asks curiously~ so where’s parallel _me?_

DOCTOR:

I actually have no clue beyond the fact that he’s not in the TARDIS. He flew the TARDIS to this dimension while I was asleep and he ran off before I woke up. Things got really complicated in our dimension, we can’t stay more than a few hours.

KOSH:

But how can you know for sure what he did? You were asleep. ~sinks down to the ground, kneeling there and sitting back on his heels as he thinks~ knowing me, I’d probably try to unpredictable if I was actually up to something.

DOCTOR:

The TARDIS can tell if he’s in there and there’s no one else who could have driven the TARDIS. I just want to get to and find him before we run out of time… We’ve been away from home for too long. ~looks wistfully thoughtful, seeming distant for a moment~

KOSH:

There’s a time limit? ~glances up at the Doctor before focusing on the ground again~ and um, wouldn’t it be a paradox if I end up crossing paths with myself?

DOCTOR:

We can only be outside of our universe for a few hours or else the Master—parallel you—might die. It’s a long story. You should be fine as far as paradoxes go, though; he’s parallel you not future you therefore you’re not actually meeting yourself. ~looks at Kosh, glad the fact that there are only 2 rather than the usual 6 people in the TARDIS didn’t trigger curiousity~

KOSH:

The Master? ~repeats the name disbelievingly, chuckling a little~ sorry, death isn’t funny, but the name just sounds a little bit egotistic for me. ~comes to his feet again, walking off a few steps in a random direction as if deciding where to go~ so where should we look?

DOCTOR:

I haven’t the foggiest idea. I have this problem, you see, someone wiped my memory and I’m still trying to get them back… It’d take me a lot to remember, say, where he lived or where he liked to hang out… ~looks over at Kosh~ hey, do you-… _hear_ anything? ~estimates that Kosh must be over eight, seeming hesitant to ask the question~

KOSH:

~turns his head at the direct inquiry, seeming confused and then a bit nervous, feeling as if he should be hearing something right now but isn’t~ um… no… what, did _you_ hear something?

DOCTOR:

~smiles in relief though he tries to suppress the action~ no, it’s just… something that happened in my universe. Don’t worry about it.

KOSH:

Okay. ~smiles innocently back at the Doctor, decidedly frolicking off into the red grass in front of him and playing around as he goes. Doesn’t wander too far away from the Doctor~ “the Master” could be anywhere on the whole planet, actually… ~slows down and stops his pointless movements to look up at the Doctor~ what if… he doesn’t want to be found?

DOCTOR:

~tries not to look hit by the statement as it does make sense~ the Master’s a lot of things but he’s never been suicidal; not without a plan of resurrection. ~sounds overly insistent, trying to focus in on his early memories for where the Master might be~

KOSH:

Let’s look in your TARDIS, there might be hints… ~runs back up to the TARDIS, looking over at the Doctor as if asking permission to go in but he notices something else as well~ what’s with the collar and leash?

DOCTOR:

~looks down at the ground in embarrassment~ I—uh-… In my dimension, Koschei got this drumming noise planted in his head by Rassilon at age 8 and he went absolutely insane. We got them out of his head but he can still be a little… dominant. He put it on me.

KOSH:

~pauses, then laughs, opening the TARDIS door easily and walking inside, leaving the door open. Walks into the darkened console room, looking up at the grand domed ceiling in awe~ woah, you must’ve had her for a while… ~turns around to peer back outside, calling to the Doctor~ how’d you get the standard interior to change?

DOCTOR:

If the place gets absolutely torn apart—as she does, on occasion—it’s a bit like regeneration. To change the interior on whim it takes a bit of rewiring and trial and error and telepathic communication but I manage without the manual. ~walks in, closing the door behind him on instinct, wondering why the collar and leash caught Kosh’s interest more than his bandaged ankle and limp~ right now she’s recharging.

KOSH:

~runs up to the console, looking at the controls in interest but refraining from touching any of them~ how do you manage to fly her by yourself? ~looks at the monitor, reading the sticky note and finding the small word from the Master, decidedly pulling it off and looking at the underside of it as he explores the rest of the console~

DOCTOR:

I run around a bit, she helps me out a bit, it’s a joint effort but I’ve been doing it on my own for long enough that it felt unnatural when the Master joined. ~looks at his other sticky notes on the console for messages or clues as to where the Master is~

KOSH:

~crouches down, peering through a particular section of the grated floor, but finding that it’s too dark to see anything down there~

TARDIS:

~suddenly the lights come back on, and she returns to full consciousness; she elatedly recognizes and welcomes the young Koschei~

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the blue column as it powers up~ Kosh, meet the TARDIS. TARDIS, this is parallel Master, as you’ve probably figured out. We’re trying to see if the Master left any more hints as to where he might be.

TARDIS:

~seems eager to help and now much more capable of doing so~

KOSH:

~is obviously excited to have the TARDIS talk with him telepathically~

TARDIS:

~after a moment she scans the planet and worriedly reports to the both of them that she can’t detect the Master at all~

DOCTOR:

Then where the hell could he be…? ~thinks for a moment, pacing~ Kosh; what would happen in this universe if a TARDIS was stolen? Would there be any easy indicator? ~mentally asks the TARDIS if the Master went anywhere before Gallifrey~

TARDIS:

~seems to draw a blank, having difficulty remembering what the Master did~

KOSH:

~stands up and replies to the Doctor~ well, I suppose there would be an alarm that would go off… but nowhere around here; it’d be in the citadel.

DOCTOR:

Alright, the citadel it is. ~puts in the familiar coordinates to the citadel~ is parallel Rassilon leading the Timelords? I know how to get things organized if he is.

KOSH:

Um, yeah, last time I checked. ~steps back a little cautiously to let the Doctor fly the TARDIS, not having expected for the Doctor to bring him along but is excited about it anyway~

DOCTOR:

You might want to hold onto something. ~pulls the lever to fly the TARDIS, jogging about and repetitively stumbling and faltering as he tries to go about it with his usual flamboyance, cursing at his ankle more than once~

KOSH:

~grabs onto a railing and watches the Doctor as the TARDIS goes into flight, looking around at all the moving things and changing lights but growing concerned for the Doctor by the time the TARDIS lands~ are you hurt?

DOCTOR:

Searing bullet to the ankle. I’m alright, though. I _am_ a Doctor, it’s not just a chosen title. ~limps up to the door, not trying to go faster than is remotely comfortable anymore, looking at the burns left on his fingers from removing the bullet from his ankle~

KOSH:

Were you in a battle? ~asks curiously, hesitant to let go of the railing and follow after the Doctor~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a quiet, repeating beeping noise comes from outside the TARDIS, where a row of type-40’s are docked and a single TARDIS is missing from its station~

DOCTOR:

No… it’s a long story that you probably don’t want to hear. I have been in battles but this isn’t from one. ~opens the doors, seeing the empty spot and sighing, limping over to it, thinking it shouldn’t take long for officials to arrive~

KOSH:

~decides not to ask more questions, stopping in the doorway of the TARDIS nervously~ maybe we shouldn’t be hanging around here… ~hears the sound of an approaching guard, looking panicked as he backs up and closes the door of the TARDIS before the guard can see him~

DOCTOR:

~turns to the approaching guard, yelling to them~ over here! I tried to stop him; he got away! ~waves them over, successfully acting panicked while formulating a story and a plan~

GUARD:

~turns at the Doctor’s call, walking over as she gives the Doctor’s TARDIS a suspicious glance. Stops a few feet away from the Doctor, looking from the Doctor to the empty station with distrust before she speaks~ and why are you here, exactly?

DOCTOR:

He’s my brother, the man who took the TARDIS, I saw him breaking in and I had to try and stop him. I always used my TARDIS responsibly, but he wanted to break the rules and I never let him. I thought I could reason with him and get him to come back home with me but I couldn’t and he got away.

GUARD:

You do realize this vessel was stolen at least fifteen minutes ago… I’ve just come to deactivate the alarm. ~pushes past the Doctor and into the docking station, doing something behind the door in order to stop the beeping noise~ so why are you here? ~repeats her question~

DOCTOR:

He shot me in the ankle. I’m a Doctor, so I stopped and treated it myself. ~gestures to his left ankle~ and I know he’s somewhere messing up time and I can be protective of my little brother. I’m worried.

GUARD:

Well apparently he’s doing it in a separate dimension. Feel free to go after him and stop him if you want, but the decision’s been made to leave him alone. ~steps out, walking back down the hallway the way she came~

DOCTOR:

Okay, thanks. ~meanders back into the TARDIS calmly before sounding beyond frustrated~ DAMN IT! This is _not_ what I meant you son-of-a- ~cuts off, realizing he’s ranting in anger to himself with Kosh standing there, looking at him apologetically~ sorry, not you or the TARDIS, I believe the Master has once again shown his lack of understanding when it comes to what I want.

KOSH:

~shrinks back a little at the Doctor’s frightening behavior, speaking timidly~ w-what did he do?

DOCTOR:

He’s gone back to our dimension. There have been some frankly dreadful things going on for us because of someone named GLaDOS and I snapped at him for acting unlike himself and I think he knows he’s the one tethering me to the problems. What he _doesn’t_ seem to understand is I’d rather have him and GLaDOS than this whole parallel. Either that or this is a test GLaDOS made him carry out and either way I’m going to hug him and then slap him in the face when I get back to him. ~is leaning on the door, sorry for scaring Kosh~

KOSH:

~seems to relax and forget about the Doctor’s anger now that it makes sense, looking down at the floor and finally noticing that the Doctor’s not wearing shoes, which makes him smile a little in amusement~ you both seem to care about each other a lot. ~speaks quietly and sounds almost sad, jealous of what the parallel Timelords have between them with the knowledge it’s something he’ll never be able to have~

DOCTOR:

~notices Kosh’s tone, smiling sincerely before looking at him with a more serious expression~ hey… I know you probably don’t want to talk about it, but what happened to Theta? I should be able to time travel in this universe; if his death isn’t fixed, I might be able to break a few rules.

KOSH:

~looks up at the Doctor with renewed hope~ really? ~glances downward as he explains~ he… he snuck onto a ship, and it ended up crashing into a star. I don’t know how it happened, but there was nothing left of the ship or passengers…

DOCTOR:

That doesn’t sound too fixed… can you specify the ship or the star… or roughly the time? This is probably asking you to recall a lot, but I think I can bring Theta to here and now without doing anything worse than I did in my universe and I know how you feel.

KOSH:

Well, this was about two years ago and the star was actually Gallifrey’s second sun. I’m pretty sure the ship was a TARDIS… but that’s always difficult to tell. ~makes himself give the information even though it’s painful to recall, knowing what the Doctor’s doing for him and feeling as if he can’t be happier~

DOCTOR:

I’m positive the TARDIS can narrow it down from there. Would you like to come with me or do you want me to bring you back home first? ~mentally asks the TARDIS if she can get them to the time and location of the ship before it crashed with the given information~

KOSH:

~shakes his head slightly~ n-no, I want to stay. ~smiles at the Doctor, teary-eyed out of relief and gratitude~ thank you; I can’t-… I can’t thank you enough.

TARDIS:

~takes a moment, but confirms that she can and helpfully fills in the time and coordinates on the monitor~

DOCTOR:

~smiles back at Kosh~ you don’t have to thank me. I know what it is to be alone. I don’t want that for anyone. ~goes up to the console lever~ now hold on tight, we have a Timelord to save!

KOSH:

~nods in agreement, finding the nearest handhold and trying to recover from the wave of different emotions and thoughts overwhelming him while the TARDIS is in flight~

DOCTOR:

~manages to fly the TARDIS without cursing more than once because of his ankle. Once they land he walks a little hesitantly to the TARDIS doors, opening one slightly to peek out to formulate a plan quickly~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the TARDIS is definitely inside of another TARDIS’ console room, although it’s a different type and the room is smaller. The console is more of a wide desktop like that of an airplane, and it takes up half of the circular wall; the other half has open doorways to different parts of the ship. There are three pilots, two of which turn to look when the Doctor’s TARDIS lands~

DOCTOR:

~steps out of his TARDIS with a wave~ hey, sorry, I’m not here for any reason other than to retrieve a stowaway on your ship. He’s relatively young and goes by the name of Theta Sigma. ~raises his voice slightly for the name in hopes Theta will show himself easily~

PILOT1:

We didn’t see him board. ~one of the Timelords replies hesitantly~

PILOT2:

~the one still watching the controls seems to be getting worried~

KOSH:

~comes up to the door, calling for Theta despairingly and figuring he’s more likely to come out if he hears a voice he recognizes~

THETA:

~as expected another voice hesitantly comes from behind one of the doorways~ …Kosh? ~a boy with bright blonde hair in a similar red robe peers around the edge of the opening, seeming perplexed~

DOCTOR:

Alright then! We’ll be going... ~turns to Theta, gesturing urgently for him to come over before turning back to the Timelords flying the ship~ sorry. ~doesn’t clarify the reason why he’s sorry purposefully~

THETA:

~hesitates before coming over to the Doctor~

KOSH:

~as soon as he’s visible Kosh pulls Theta inside the TARDIS and hugging him almost violently~

THETA:

~complains weakly~ c’mon Kosh; I told you I wasn’t going to be gone long, and you promised not to tell!

PILOTS:

~the Timelords go back to flying the ship~

DOCTOR:

~goes back into the TARDIS, closing the doors and setting the TARDIS to go to the area in front of Kosh’s place~ the TARDIS you were just in is about to crash and you died in this crash. Kosh missed you dreadfully; it’s been two _years_ since you died. If anyone asks, you woke up on Gallifrey and Kosh found you. You don’t know how you got to Gallifrey. Hold on to something. ~pulls the lever, the last thing he wants being the crash with the other TARDIS~

THETA:

I—wait—what? ~is baffled and overwhelmed, prying Kosh away from himself in order to properly breathe. Stumbles backwards into the railing as the TARDIS takes off, grabbing onto it and looking at Kosh in shock~

KOSH:

~his cheeks are wet with tears; he’s smiling uncontrollably at Theta as he manages to speak unsteadily~ you’re okay… ~sounds as if he can’t believe his own evaluation~

DOCTOR:

~lands the TARDIS~ present-day in front of Kosh’s place. ~looks at the monitor~ one minute after we left; I’m good! Alright. ~goes and leans back on the console facing Theta and Kosh~ okay, _now_ I can explain. Theta, that TARDIS crashed two years ago and you died. I mean, _now_ you didn’t but originally you did. I don’t belong in this universe; I’m parallel you.

THETA:

Woah, really? ~grins, looking at Kosh again and commenting jokingly~ see, Kosh? I handled it myself.

KOSH:

~doesn’t seem amused by the comment, although it doesn’t ruin his mood; grabbing Theta’s wrist and pulling him outside the TARDIS where they tackle each other to the ground and roll through the red grass as they used to, playfully giggling~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, leaning in the TARDIS’ open doorway and watching them for a moment, a little teary-eyed, before speaking up~ I’d love to stick around, but I have to go back to my universe and the Master now.

ENVIRONMENT:

~before Theta or Kosh can acknowledge the Doctor, another type-40 TARDIS lands about 20 yards away, not disguised as anything in particular. The door slides open~

MASTER:

~is in the doorway; he weakly collapses out onto the grass after a moment~

DOCTOR:

Master! ~runs over to the Master without faltering, startled and instantly concerned. Kneels next to the Master, looking over his collapsed form with a sort of desperation~ I was just about to go back for you…

MASTER:

~he mumbles whimsically, his words slightly slurred~ well, now you don’t have to. ~groggily turns himself over onto his back~

THETA & KOSH:

~approach with caution but interest~

MASTER:

~glances at the younger Timelords briefly as he carefully and gently bends his legs, the heels of his long fall boots scraping against the floor of his stolen TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, sitting back on his feet~ I’ve been awake and about for like 20 minutes; what the hell happened? I mean, I know you stole a TARDIS and went back to our universe after stashing sticky notes but besides that. ~shakes his head, realizing he hasn’t gotten any better at staying on-topic~

MASTER:

20 minutes…? Not bad… ~seems distant and unfocused~ sorry, the anesthesia probably hasn’t worn off yet. I… went back to the twentieth century; visited Aperture while it was still being run by humans. ~his eyes drift closed and he sighs~ let me tell you, everything’s a whole lot easier with time travel. ~opens his eyes again, fully realizing that Kosh and Theta are peering down at him~ who’re they?

DOCTOR:

Parallel us. Theta, Kosh, this is the Master. ~gestures to them in turn~ when I landed I almost instantly ran into Kosh. I made the mistake of bringing up Theta when he’s been dead for two years which made Kosh upset but he helped me figure out where you went after he figured out who I am because of my scent. After he helped me out I went back in time and brought Theta to here and now.

MASTER:

~squints up at them~ well isn’t that confusing.

KOSH:

~seems to be reminded of the fact that Theta just escaped certain death because of the Doctor’s retelling of the story, and he happily drags Theta away into another tussle; also figuring that the Doctor and the Master have things to talk about on their own~

DOCTOR:

Yeah, but it’s closer to what used to be my everyday activity than anything since we woke up in Aperture. ~glances briefly at Kosh and Theta~ speaking of which, what did you do in past Aperture?

MASTER:

I got myself patched up, of course. ~grimaces slightly, gesturing to a small wound on his temple that’s been stitched closed~ it required a small bit of bargaining; if they actually care about keeping me alive they keep the Aperture tech. Good news is I’m alive and no longer connected to GLaDOS. Bad news is I didn’t say anything about Her killing everyone; I figured that would screw up time a bit.

DOCTOR:

~smiles, knowing exactly what GLaDOS’ lack of control and the Master’s lack of Aperture tech in him means~ that’s great! I mean, not the fact that the people who helped you are going to die painfully, but you’re right, there’s no stopping that.

MASTER:

So… we could stay here awhile if you like. ~smiles back at the Doctor a little drowsily, trying to sit up but falling back before he even gets off the ground, sighing with weakened frustration~

DOCTOR:

~stands up and offers a hand to help the Master up~ sounds good to me! ~knows they should return to their dimension at some point, grateful for the new lack of time constraints~

MASTER:

~reaches up to take the Doctor’s hand, pulling himself to his feet and leaning forward into the Doctor once he’s standing, letting his eyes close out of fatigue as he shakes faintly against the Doctor with the strain of keeping himself upright~

THETA & KOSH:

~have settled down and are sitting on the ground talking side by side with each other~

KOSH:

~pauses to look over at the Doctor and the Master with a small smile, turning back to Theta and leaning into his shoulder with a wider smile~

DOCTOR:

You look more ready to take a nap than to explore; I doubt you actually slept when I did and you basically just had surgery. ~easily supports the Master, not having seen him this fatigued since the wires incident~

MASTER:

Basically… ~almost falls back down, but manages to keep himself standing with the Doctor’s support~ do you mind if I…? ~doesn’t feel the need to end his statement since it’s implied enough~

DOCTOR:

Not at all. ~feels as if the Master’s going to need his help to walk anywhere right now, slowly starting towards his own TARDIS, ready to catch and/or further support the Master with his arms if need be~

MASTER:

~is about to protest the fact that his TARDIS is closer, but follows along with the Doctor anyway, wrapping an arm around the Doctor’s waist to keep himself steady but otherwise he seems to have woken up a bit more and is able to walk mostly on his own~

DOCTOR:

~is thankful to the Master’s lack of dependence on him because of his slight limp. After a moment he seems to pick something at random to talk about~ so… I remember, this one time, I saved someone I shouldn’t have—she was the captain of the first crew that landed and colonized on Mars; the colony exploded because of an alien problem, turns out, and I saved the crew that was supposed to die that day with the TARDIS and I told them they were supposed to die… I was obviously a little off my nut that day… ~sounds as if he’s trying to remember why as they step into the TARDIS, seeming to figure it out after a second~

MASTER:

~seems confused as to why the Doctor decided to bring this up~ …what? ~stumbles a bit upon entry to the TARDIS, using the Doctor to catch himself~

DOCTOR:

~stops for a second to be sure not to stumble himself before continuing to walk~ I don’t know; I thought I’d talk about something without a particular reason for once. ~knows he did this much more frequently before things got complicated~

MASTER:

Alright… it’s good that you remembered something… ~speeds up slightly, however his stride is inconsistent and he slows back down after they get out into the hallway~ we shouldn’t leave the other TARDIS behind… ~if he was fully awake the statement would have been more insistent~

DOCTOR:

~manages to keep up with the Master’s changes in pace as he talks~ how long were you in the other universe? From my perspective it seems as if you’ve convinced a bunch of Aperture scientists to help you, gotten the help—which I doubt was a short process—and gotten attached to that TARDIS in maybe half an hour.

MASTER:

~chuckles wearily~ oh, definitely not. Once I made the jump back the TARDIS had to recharge, which probably took… three hours or so… and GLaDOS refused to reconnect my vital systems, which made those three hours utter hell. And it didn’t take much to convince the scientists, just a couple scans and demonstrations… I have no clue how long the rest took, but I feel like bloody Frankenstein right now. ~his grip around the Doctor slips slightly~ also, the second TARDIS… is an advantage, that’s why we should keep her.

DOCTOR:

Alright then… ~turns the corner to the bedroom’s hallway, looking thoughtful~ I’m guessing GLaDOS won’t be much of a happy camper no matter when we return, so we have plenty of time to plan something against her.

MASTER:

Yeah… ~replies softly as his arm slips away from the Doctor’s waist and his legs almost give out from physical exhaustion~

DOCTOR:

~brings his own arm around the Master out of concern, using his available arm to open the bedroom door~

MASTER:

~stumbles inside while his eyes drift closed involuntarily, now relying on the Doctor for guidance and supporting most of his weight~

DOCTOR:

~limps over to the bed, almost accidentally running the Master into the foot of the bed but successfully avoiding that and guiding him to the side of the bed~ I won’t stray too far from the TARDIS.

MASTER:

~manages to pry his eyes open in order to make sure he doesn’t miss the bed, thankfully rolling onto it and making an unclear gesture towards the Doctor, not knowing what he intended for it to mean and not really caring as he begins to drift off to sleep already~

DOCTOR:

~tries to be quiet as he leaves though his limp doesn’t help his usual loud nature as he exits, knowing it probably doesn’t matter with how tired the Master is anyway as he heads back to the console room~

THETA:

~is peering into the TARDIS from the doorway, with Kosh not far behind him. Theta asks when the Doctor comes back into view~ are you guys going to leave now?

DOCTOR:

I think we’ll be staying a little longer; circumstances have changed a bit. ~walks over to the side of the console closest to the door, leaning on it slightly~ right now the Master’s exhausted so I’m letting him sleep. Also, the Master doesn’t want to leave the other TARDIS here as she presents an advantage in our situation in our universe~

TARDIS:

~seems to be happily conversing with the other Type-40~

THETA:

Okay. ~Theta replies; neither Theta nor Kosh seem disappointed about the Doctor’s response~

KOSH:

~pipes up from behind Theta~ does that mean you don’t have a time limit anymore?

DOCTOR:

No I do not. I mean, we should go back at _some point_ but we can now stay however long we wish without either of us dying. ~looks at Kosh specifically rather than both of them, smiling~ the Master knew what I wanted, I just misinterpreted.

KOSH:

~smiles back excitedly, replying after a moment~ if we’ve, um, got nothing better to do, we could drop by my house for a bit. ~looks between Theta and the Doctor, talking to them both~

DOCTOR:

~looks fairly excited by the idea, remembering the Master’s old home from his first 50 years of memory~ It’s been forever since I’ve been there! I mean, parallel there. ~thinks for a second~ oh, wait, we need an explanation for Theta as what I did is a little against the laws of time.

KOSH:

Come on, nobody’s home right now. We can make one up while we’re there. ~is made happy by how excited the Doctor seems about his fairly unoriginal offer, turning around and looking back at Theta~

THETA:

~follows him down the slight hill after a moment when Kosh heads towards his house~

DOCTOR:

~follows Kosh and Theta, closing the door behind him, glad that at this moment everyone in his immediate vicinity seems happy. Thinks for a moment before asking~ does this universe have Daleks?

THETA:

~answers since he’s closer to the Doctor~ yeah… well, as far as I know; things might’ve changed since I missed two years.

KOSH:

~opens the door and walks inside, leaving it open for the rest of them~

DOCTOR:

So they’re not a massive problem, then… good. ~goes into the house after Theta, looking around at the familiar area with a smile, containing his positive reactions to the area as he figures it’d be suspicious if he didn’t~

KOSH:

Daleks? ~catches onto the conversation~ no, they’re not much of a problem, but I hear the high council is getting worried about them… being genocidal destroy-the-universe and all. ~his cheery tone doesn’t seem to match his descriptions; he bounds into a room with comfortable-looking seats and sits on the floor in front of a low table, folding his arms on top of it as he watches Theta and the Doctor come in~

DOCTOR:

~tries not to show the minor discomfort that comes from Kosh’s statement that makes it sound like they’re starting to build up to the war~ I… hope that doesn’t escalate. ~distracts himself with the memories that are made more clear by his surroundings~

KOSH:

~shrugs~ probably not any time soon. ~looks around, trying to follow what the Doctor’s looking at~ is it the same in your universe? ~is still talking about the Daleks~

THETA:

~walks into a room that seems like a kitchen, comfortable in the house and feeling as if he doesn’t need permission to look around~

DOCTOR:

Hm? No. ~looks back at Kosh, feeling as if he shouldn’t have brought it up~ I mean, the house was; the Daleks became… a bad problem. ~tries to be lighthearted but just ends up uncomfortable~

KOSH:

Was? ~seems a bit concerned by the Doctor’s choice of words~

THETA:

~comes back into the room with something similar to a biscuit in his hand, snacking on it as he walks over to sit down in one of the chairs behind where Kosh is and asks as he notices the Doctor’s expression~ did I miss something?

DOCTOR:

Yes, was. The house _was_ the same as it is in this universe. ~looks at the floor~ and, uh, Theta, you just missed me saying the Daleks became a big problem for us…

THETA:

~shrugs dismissively, leaning back in the chair as he takes a bite of the biscuit~ so, we need to make up a story for how I’m not dead; right?

DOCTOR:

Right. ~looks back up from the floor at them, walking over and sitting in a chair~ so… we could say we found you laying in a field and you don’t remember what happened… another question we’re bound to get is “who the hell is this eccentrically dressed man with a collar and leash and no shoes and why have you let him in the house?”

KOSH:

~laughs as he imagines the situation, looking over at the Doctor with an amused smile~

THETA:

~begins to ask about the collar~

KOSH:

~interrupts him and shakes his head slightly~ don’t ask. ~talking to the Doctor again~ would simply telling the truth work well for that? Or is it too suspicious?

DOCTOR:

~gives Kosh a thankful glance when he cuts Theta off~ yeah, I guess that could work… Though maybe I should make the leash less noticeable as that is something that would definitely increase suspicion. ~brings the leash around and under his blue suit~

THETA:

You could just take off the collar. ~comments helpfully between bites of his biscuit, which he’s well on his way to finishing~

DOCTOR:

About that… ~subconsciously runs a hand through his hair in nervous embarrassment, his hand lingering at the back of his head~

KOSH:

~looks at the Doctor, confused as to why he’s hesitating to explain~

THETA:

What? What about it?

DOCTOR:

I… can’t figure out how to take it off. ~lowers his hand back to his side, looking at the floor again though it just makes him resemble a guilty dog~

THETA:

~laughs disbelievingly~

KOSH:

~looks indignant~ well-… ~glances at the floor for a second, then stands up~ …here. ~walks over to the Doctor, reaching up to his collar a little hesitantly as if unsure what sort of reaction he’ll get from the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~easily allows Kosh access to his collar as he’d do instinctively for the Master, muttering to him~ it’s not like he forced me to wear it against my will. ~having noticed Kosh’s reaction, though afterwards he realizes he just admitted to wanting/liking the collar~

KOSH:

~stops, looking at the Doctor exasperatedly~ so, do you want it off or not?

THETA:

~finishes his biscuit and watches the somewhat awkward interaction with interest~

DOCTOR:

Yes; I’d prefer not to have to explain it to your folks, so yes. That _is_ why we brought it up in the first place, right?

KOSH:

Um, yeah… ~turns the collar and pulls the leash back out, fiddling with the latch on the collar before figuring it out and taking it off, holding the leather in his hands without knowing what to do with it. However now he can see the violent bite marks on the side of the Doctor’s neck, which he draws a conclusion about and gives the Doctor a considerably discomforted and concerned look~

DOCTOR:

~seems confused by Kosh’s look of discomforted concern for a second before realizing what he must’ve seen, stammering~ oh, that… well—um—the Master, he wasn’t trying to—well, he was, but… reasons. ~brings a hand up over his eyes, unsuccessfully covering his face, which has turned a dark shade of pink~ I’ll just—I’ll put the thing in my pocket if you don’t know what to do with it. ~glad Kosh can’t see the lines down his back from the Master’s belt~

KOSH:

~timidly hands the collar and leash back to the Doctor, taking a step backwards and hesitating a while before speaking~ the Master doesn’t seem that… safe to be around.

THETA:

~tries to see what Kosh had noticed but not specifically said what it was, curious~

DOCTOR:

~puts the collar and leash into his suit pocket, sighing~ it’s never, his fault, though… the drums—I’ve mentioned them before—make you _want_ to hurt people and they blur your judgement and make it so easy to get angry… and that particular time, he had the drums because he didn’t want me to suffer them because GLaDOS planted them in my head and he hurt me to convince me to leave him behind because he thought it’d be easier for me. So no, he’s not always the safest person to be around, but he is the person I want to be around.

THETA:

~props his elbow up on the arm of the chair, listening intently as the Doctor speaks. When he’s finished Kosh doesn’t have a response, and eventually Theta fills the silence~ are you two… ~finishes his sentence by showing his left hand and crossing his fingers~

DOCTOR:

Well… ~takes a second to process the unexpected question~ I suppose; I mean, not in an _official_ way, but-… I mean, in all basic-ness… yes. ~mentally curses his awkwardness, knowing his blushing isn’t getting any better either~

THETA & KOSH:

~glance at each other, only worsening the awkwardness of the situation. Neither of them seems to have a response for a while, until Kosh quietly comments~

KOSH:

Well I guess that… makes sense… ~glances side to side awkwardly~

DOCTOR:

~considers about 50 things to say, none of which he finds a good idea to say aloud, twiddling his thumbs as if to distract himself~

WOMAN:

~suddenly the front door opens and an adult woman in an important-looking robe steps inside the house and calls out scoldingly~ Koschei! Why are there two TARDISes parked outside the house?

KOSH:

~looks over at her, smiling sheepishly~

WOMAN:

~notices Theta and the Doctor almost immediately~

DOCTOR:

That would be my bad; miss Oakdown, I presume. ~looks over at the woman, feeling a bit like a child in her presence~ there’s a perfectly good explanation for this, I promise you.

MRS. OAKDOWN:

~calmly walks over to them and acknowledges Theta with a brief glance and a small smile, her attention more drawn to the Doctor~ it looks a lot to me like someone’s been messing with time. ~keeps her gaze focused down at the Doctor derisively~ who are you, and why are you here?

DOCTOR:

I’m the Doctor. I’m from a parallel; I ended up here due to an incident completely unrelated to this universe. When I was younger, my friends on Gallifrey called me Theta Sigma. I had a best friend named Koschei Oakdown. In my universe, there was an incident and, long story short, my universe’s Koschei used this universe’s TARDIS to help a horrible problem in my universe. I was left unaware of my universe’s Koschei’s plan and woke up and walked out of my TARDIS to accidentally run into Kosh. ~gestures to Kosh~

MRS. OAKDOWN:

~folds her arms, following the Doctor’s gesture and giving Kosh a brief glance~ alright. But what problem was so dire that you needed to rip a hole in space and time?

DOCTOR:

Okay; _that_ is a rather long story but I’ll try to keep it as short as possible. Prallel Kosh—or the Master—and I woke up in a scientific facility on Earth run by a super-intelligent AI. This AI, named GLaDOS for Genetic Life-form and Disk Operating System. We made a few failed escape attempts but at one point the Master became an Aperture-style cyborg. He was still himself but GLaDOS did horrible things with her minor remote control of his vital systems. To be rid of this problem that could have gotten the Master killed, we needed a TARDIS that wasn’t touched by GLaDOS and Gallifrey isn’t what it used to be in my universe so we needed one from a different universe.

MRS. OAKDOWN:

Fair enough. ~focuses on Theta now, seeming to have relaxed slightly in both her demeanor and tone~ now, how did little Theta get here?

DOCTOR:

~hesitates, thinking about the lie and knowing it’s probably best to just tell truth by now, giving Kosh a reassuring glance~ I take full responsibility for that as well. I had brought Theta up to Kosh, not expecting for Theta to have died. I was looking for the Master as he had formulated the plan and went through with it while I was sleeping and if he’d stayed in this universe for too long, he would have died. Kosh helped me figure out what was going on and I felt personally as if the best thing I could do—not to repay him, but just to help out in general as I try to when I go places—was to save Theta in such a way that it wouldn’t wreck time. In all honesty, I have lost a lot of people who were close to me and I felt as if I could save Kosh from having to and I still think I’ve done what’s best for everyone.

KOSH:

~seems a little distressed when the Doctor tells the truth, glancing at Theta and then looking up at his mother desperately~ you’re not going to just… take him back… are you?

MRS. OAKDOWN:

~she smiles down at Kosh, rubbing his head a little to reassure him~ …no… Theta can stay. ~looks back up at the Doctor, smiling at him too~ I’ll keep this just between us, alright?

DOCTOR:

~smiles back, sighing in relief~ you’re the best. I mean, in both universes. ~his tone seems to grow almost sad though he seems very happy with how things have gone~

MASTER:

~there’s a hesitant knock at the door before the Master opens it and peers inside, seeing his mother there along with the Doctor, Theta and Kosh; cautiously stepping in and closing the door behind him. It calls attention to himself and his mother looks over at him with a smile, at which he freezes and glances at the Doctor, his voice timid when he speaks~ um, hi.

DOCTOR:

Master! Great timing, I’ve already explained pretty much everything… I mean, everything that’s happened _recently._ ~uses the addition to his statement to indicate that they know nothing about the Time War or how pretty much everyone’s dead~

MASTER:

~nods slightly, decidedly sticking by the doorway to keep himself emotionally neutral~

MRS. OAKDOWN:

~looks back at the Doctor to tell him~ not to be rude, but it might be best for you two to leave, if you can. You don’t want to be caught up in any of this trouble.

DOCTOR:

~nods~ we might be around on the planet a bit longer; honestly, nothing Rassilon would do to us seems too threatening right now but we’ll be as careful as ever… Though you’d know that’s not very careful… I’ll lie if people get suspicious, I’m only an open book to friends and dang it I’ve started to ramble again, haven’t I?

MRS. OAKDOWN:

~she chuckles good-naturedly~ it’s quite alright…

MASTER:

~the front door opens and closes again, and the Master’s left~

KOSH:

~peers around his mother towards the door where the Master used to be and looks up at the Doctor in concern~ …what’s up with him?

DOCTOR:

Gallifrey-… ~tries to find a vague way to put their situation as far as Gallifrey is concerned~ it’s been a very long time since either of us has seen our families or our homes. I’m sure he’s missed it.

MRS. OAKDOWN:

~smiles in understanding~ I’ll go invite him in, then. You two are welcome to stay here however long you like. ~she turns and heads to the front door, stepping outside again~

DOCTOR:

N- ~shakes his head, sighing~ that’s not what I meant… ~looks at the floor, wishing he’d been clearer about the situation as the Master is probably by now being invited back in by his dead-in-his-universe mother~

THETA:

What _did_ you mean? ~asks drowsily, staring off at nothing in particular~

KOSH:

~goes over to the other side of the room and sits down on a couch, waiting for the return of his mother which seems to be taking a little longer than it should~

DOCTOR:

He misses his mother because she’s dead. But we can’t be talking about this if he comes in, alright? It’s still a bit of a sensitive topic. ~looks at Theta and Kosh in turn for understanding~

THETA & KOSH:

~both nod after getting over their initial reaction to the news~

ENVIRONMENT:

~soon after the door opens again and Kosh’s mother comes in, closely followed by the Master~

MASTER:

~is smiling a little as he hesitantly walks over to the couch and sits down next to Kosh, looking across at the Doctor~ sorry about that.

DOCTOR:

It’s fine. ~gives a little smile, looking at the different people in the room and realizing how awkward this could get if questions were asked given the varying amounts of information, glad for his lack of collar~

MRS. OAKDOWN:

~smiles and walks off into the kitchen after a moment~

MASTER:

~yawns and leans back on the couch casually~ so what’ve you three been talking about while I was asleep?

THETA:

~looks like he’s trying to hold back laughter~

DOCTOR:

Well… ~mentally searches for the least awkward topic~ we discussed what we should and shouldn’t tell the truth about though I ended up saying the whole truth to Kosh’s mom…

MASTER:

~closes his eyes and smirks~ I see someone helped you take off your collar.

THETA:

~fails to suppress a small chuckle~

DOCTOR:

I uh—yeah… we thought it might look a bit… suspicious. ~reaches in his suit pocket, taking the collar and leash out just enough to make it clear he has them before stuffing them back in his pocket~

MASTER:

~chuckles as well, nodding slightly in acknowledgement~ It’s fine for now. ~casually implying that he doesn’t intend to let the Doctor keep it off~

KOSH:

~glances over at the Master almost nervously~

DOCTOR:

Okay. ~gives Kosh a reassuring smile, trying to stop himself from laughing at Kosh’s response to the Master though he snickers slightly~

MRS. OAKDOWN:

~walks out from a separate room, on her way to the front door as she informs the rest of them~ I’ve got to go back out for a bit; try not to get into trouble again.

KOSH & MASTER:

~nod at her simultaneously~

MRS. OAKDOWN:

~steps back outside, closing the door behind her~

DOCTOR:

Alright then; what now? Us and our parallels… I’m pretty sure it’ll be interesting no matter what we do, honestly. ~looks at Theta, Kosh, and the Master, finding them all drastically different though Kosh shares some tendencies with the Master~

MASTER:

~smiles in amusement~ double the fun.


	9. Risk

MASTER:

~looks over at Kosh~ do you happen to have that old Risk game?

KOSH:

~seems excited by the question, nodding and eagerly getting up to leave the room~

MASTER:

~looks back at the Doctor with a small shrug as if he didn’t expect for things to go so smoothly~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, very vaguely remembering the old board game~ so; what’s so exciting about your game of risk? ~speaks casually, trying to start conversation~

MASTER:

~shrugs again~ it was my favorite game. Didn’t I play it with you a few times? Your strategy was almost always better than mine…

THETA:

~looks prideful as if taking the Master’s statement as a valid compliment~

KOSH:

~comes back in with a thin box for the game and sets it on the table in the middle of the room~

DOCTOR:

~seems to remember it fully, smiling~ oh yeah! ~chuckles slightly though he tries to stifle it, as if thinking he shouldn’t be chuckling about what he is, turning his attention to the board game~

KOSH:

~goes to sit back down next to the Master~

MASTER:

~leans forward and opens up the box, not taking too long to set up the game, which has a board that covers Gallifrey’s local galaxy instead of just earth’s countries. He smiles and makes a suggestion~ should we play as teams? ~glances around at Kosh then at Theta and the Doctor as if to point out that they’re already paired up with themselves, based on where everyone’s sitting~

DOCTOR:

Sounds good. ~looks over at Theta with an air of prideful confidence before examining the board, seeming to already be formulating a strategy~ me and Theta against you and Kosh, I presume?

MASTER:

~nods, glancing over at Kosh who gives him an excited smile in return, looking back at the Doctor~ yeah. ~hands out the starting number of playing pieces to either side of the table, figuring everyone here knows the rules already~ shall we start, then?

DOCTOR:

Yeah; we need to deal out locations first, right? ~shuffles and deals the small deck into two piles~ otherwise we don’t know where we’re putting the pieces. ~picks up his and Theta’s pile, looking through it in such a way that they can both see it~

THETA:

~peers over at the cards, nodding slightly~

MASTER:

~takes the second pile and leans back along with Kosh to look over their cards as he speaks~ I’d usually just take turns choosing places, but alright.

DOCTOR:

~shrugs~ if you do it that way you can easily be a bastard and take the spots you know the other person wants. ~mutters to Theta about a cluster of places that they could easily take over and make ‘base’ or the place they put most of their pieces on~

THETA:

~smiles deviously in agreement, silently pointing out places that they have in less clustered areas and suggesting that they build up those as well~

MASTER:

~has a short exchange with Kosh and begins putting the initial one piece on all the places his team were given~

DOCTOR:

~reinforces as he and Theta had agreed, looking over their current situation~ I’m pretty sure it’d be impossible to really gain complete control of the entire universe anyway. ~thinks through different tactics he could use from here~

MASTER:

Probably. An empire of that size just seems unappealing… and hard to maintain. ~lets Kosh decide the next move~

KOSH:

~continues building up defense around other clusters of the Doctor’s pieces, placing an extra on a space that borders one of the Doctor’s lone properties as if preparing to attack it~

DOCTOR:

~nods in agreement and awaits the clear end of the Master and Kosh’s turn, muttering to Theta~ surround and conquer? ~as if he’s perfectly clear what he means before bringing his voice to a normal volume~ we probably sound like we’re anarchists or dictators or something.

THETA:

~takes a second look at the layout of their forces, thinking a moment before hesitantly nodding in agreement with the Doctor~

MASTER:

~watches for the Doctor’s next move, replying almost jokingly~ I was technically a dictator for a year… doesn’t that count?

KOSH:

~looks up at the Master like the statement interests him~ you were?

DOCTOR:

A year that ended in me stopping him from killing us both along with the entirety of Earth’s population, but yes… though that year never _technically_ happened. ~with the additional pieces for the turn he reinforces his choice cluster and the few more sparse places that they had agreed to deem important, considering attacking but figuring it best not to do so yet, leaning back slightly to indicate that he’s done his turn~ oh, and he died at the end.

KOSH:

~seems as if he’s going to ask the Master something~

MASTER:

~speaks before Kosh can~ oh yeah; large empires also mean high risk of assassination. ~notices the slightly uncomfortable look Kosh is giving him, looking as if he’s just realized that there are children in the room and their discussion topic has turned quite dark. Decidedly stops talking about it and makes his move, adding a few extra pieces to a spot next to one of the Doctor’s less defended areas, pushing the pieces into enemy territory to indicate he’s attacking~

DOCTOR:

~rolls the dice to fight the Master’s forces, losing the battle 5 to 3 with only mild disappointment. Tries to come up with a more lighthearted topic~ so… one time, I landed on a base on a planet in steady orbit around a black hole. It was literally impossible without another force.

KOSH:

~smiles triumphantly at their victory, leaving one piece behind in the previous territory and moving the other two into the new territory. Glances at the Master briefly before also attacking another undefended space (the only one left in the near vicinity)~

THETA:

~joins the conversation eagerly~ do you travel around in your TARDIS wherever you want?

DOCTOR:

I used to. ~rolls the die, looking at his misfortune with exasperation~ a one? Are you flipping kidding me? ~realizes after a second that his statement implied not only that they can’t anymore, but that they didn’t always travel together~

MASTER:

~chuckles after Kosh rolls the die and he splits the forces again to take over the second territory~

KOSH:

~sits back on his heels and looks across the table at the Doctor with a wide smile to indicate the end of their turn~

THETA:

~seems more intrigued by the Doctor’s response to his question than their losses in the game so far, asking softly~ did you go around saving people, like you did for me?

DOCTOR:

~smiles, looking over at Theta momentarily~ yeah… I like to think that I did… Of course it’s not always as easily uncomplicated as it was for you. ~looks back to the game, placing the majority of their new pieces on the lone important location closest to their cluster, pushing pieces into enemy territory towards their main cluster~

KOSH:

~thankfully for the Master’s team, their space already has three pieces instead of just one; Kosh takes one white defending die and rolls it, ending up with a four. Looks over at the Doctor to see how many dice he’ll roll to attack, the game beginning to get more interesting now~

THETA:

~is quiet as he focuses on the moment at hand~

DOCTOR:

~rolls two of the attack dice, landing a 3 and a 5, smiling in confidence as he’s won the first attack and defeated one of Kosh’s people, rolling the same dice again to continue the attack and getting a 1 and a 6~

KOSH:

~defends again, rolling a one and chuckling at how bad of a loss it is; now only with one remaining piece on the space~

MASTER:

~seems a bit unfocused and thoughtful, letting Kosh play on behalf of the both of them~

DOCTOR:

~goes with all three attack dice this round, explaining~ because this is the round I’m going to get a bunch of crap rolls. ~rolls the dice, getting a 3, 4, and 5 and partially expecting Kosh to roll a 5 or a 6~

KOSH:

~takes the single die again, nervously rolling a 5 and seeming quite satisfied that the territory won’t be handed over without a little loss on both of their parts~

DOCTOR:

~takes one of his pieces off the spot, tensely rolling again and getting a 6, 1, and 4, hoping Kosh doesn’t roll a 6 though figuring that’d be his luck~

KOSH:

~rolls and gets a 3, taking his last piece off without complaint and looking as if he couldn’t have expected a different outcome considering the Doctor rolled a six~

MASTER:

~doesn’t acknowledge the loss, still looking at the board yet absent in thought~

DOCTOR:

~finishes the attack, using the movement phase after attack to make it so both his new territory and the place he attacked from have two people. Notices when he looks up how zoned out the Master is, gesturing that he’s finished~ what’s on your mind? ~is clearly addressing the Master~

MASTER:

What- ~seems almost startled by being talked to, however he’s heard the Doctor just fine~ oh, nothing… important. ~lowers his voice slightly as Kosh evenly adds the four extra pieces to places nearby the Doctor’s less defended territories~ I can tell you later if you’d really like to know.

KOSH:

~makes an offensive move on a territory that has two pieces, attacking with one that has three~

DOCTOR:

~shrugs slightly, indicating his curious indifference~ okay then. ~takes both of the defense dice, rolling a 6 and a 4, seeming pleased with the roll as it means he’s beaten at least one of Kosh’s troops~

KOSH:

~rolls two fours with the attack dice, looking slightly annoyed and taking off the necessary two pieces from his own space, unable to attack further so he hands the turn over to the Doctor~

MASTER:

~seems a little uncomfortable at the sight of the pair of fours, being reminded of the drum beat~

DOCTOR:

~notices the fours and the Master’s reaction, looking at the Master to address him~ he doesn’t have them. ~places all of his reinforcements for the turn in a spot on the edge of his cluster, attacking enemy territory from that spot with a 3, a 6, and a 5 as his rolls~

KOSH:

~looks up at the Doctor, a little confused as to how this ties in with the game, however he goes on to defend with both dice; rolls two 6’s and seems surprised at his own good fortune~ and I was about to say you kept getting good rolls. ~looks up at the Doctor again almost smugly~

DOCTOR:

~takes two away from his attack force, rolling again for a 2, a 6, and a 4~ half of this game is luck; the other half strategy and, with more teams, persuasion.

KOSH:

~rolls a 4 and a 5, taking off one of the pieces and being left with two~ it’s called Risk, after all.

MASTER:

~fidgets slightly almost as if he’s impatient~

DOCTOR:

~takes one of his off, backing off of the attack with three left on the space he was attacking from, accepting defeat for this turn, briefly giving the Master a curiously questioning glance for his behavior~

MASTER:

~avoids the Doctor’s gaze, almost hastily leaning forward to make the move for his team’s turn, adding three of their reinforcements to the previously attacked territory and moving in to attack the Doctor’s again. He takes two of the dice and rolls a 4 and a 2~

DOCTOR:

~rolls the defense dice for a 3 and a 5, grinning at the winning role and figuring he can just worry about the game for now as it seems like he doesn’t have to worry about anything else for once~

MASTER:

~rolls three dice after taking off the necessary pieces, getting a six and two fours~

KOSH:

~looks a little unhappy at the Master’s continued attack, as it seems somewhat reckless and not thought through~

DOCTOR:

~rolls a 2 and another 2, shrugging and taking the pieces off, figuring they’ve been attacking the space for two turns so this should have been expected. Notices Kosh’s expression, not reacting to it~

MASTER:

~hesitates a moment after he takes over the territory, sitting back to indicate the end of the turn as he folds his arms in his lap, his cheeks looking somewhat flushed as he glances around the room, seeming like he’s trying too hard not to move~

THETA:

~leans over to the Doctor, suggesting attacking from the lone spaces they had built up that are surrounded by undefended enemy territory~

DOCTOR:

~nods, gesturing for Theta to give it a shot as he finds he’s been making all of the moves, leaning back slightly, unable to stop himself from instinctively worrying about the Master and asking~ you alright, Master? ~trying to sound casual though he is genuinely worried~

THETA:

~eagerly gets down on the floor like Kosh is, smiling deviously at Kosh~

MASTER:

~fidgets, blushing more deeply when he speaks and his voice cracks nervously~ u-um… yes.

THETA:

~attacks, going into a battle with Kosh~

DOCTOR:

Okay; then what’s all... ~gestures to the Master’s entirety~ this? ~utterly stumped by the Master’s unusual behavior~

MASTER:

It sort of just-… ~glances away from the Doctor~ happened. ~his blushing has gotten quite noticeable by now despite how he’s been trying not to be noticed~

THETA:

~the Master’s current state draws his attention for a moment~

DOCTOR:

Things don’t just happen without reason. ~sighs, shaking his head and turning his attention to the board game, still keeping an eye on the Master with the corner of his vision~

THETA:

~has managed to take over a territory without losing any pieces, continuing on to attack another poorly defended territory of Kosh’s~

MASTER:

~seems to be breathing a little heavier than normal as well, looking at the Doctor desperately and hoping his unexpected arousal is obvious enough that he won’t have to explain it~

DOCTOR:

~seems to figure it out though he can’t help but wonder how the Master managed to get himself aroused while they’re at his childhood home playing risk, leaving the Master be and focusing on watching the game~

MASTER:

~relaxes slightly out of relief, trying his best to remain focused on the game as well~

KOSH:

~seems to be getting frustrated, losing a second territory to Theta who doesn’t seem like he’s ready to let up on his attacks~

DOCTOR:

~lets Theta attack at will, smiling at the young Timelord with nothing short of pride when he takes the second territory, keeping Risk separate from real wars in his head in order to enjoy the game~

THETA:

~goes on to take over a third territory before deciding to stop, spreading out the remaining troops through the territories he’s claimed and looking across the table at Kosh smugly~

KOSH:

~glances over at the Master~

MASTER:

~is too focused on being focused that he doesn’t acknowledge Kosh at all~

KOSH:

~sighs lightly and builds up defense around Theta’s newly claimed area, passing on the move without attacking~

DOCTOR:

~mumbles to Theta~ so; should we continue from this one or go to a different more lone one? They _have_ reinforced around this so maybe we should start from somewhere else…

THETA:

~hears the Doctor’s advice but doesn’t acknowledge it, adding five pieces instead of four to the board and splitting it between the first lone spot and another lone spot, attacking again from the second~

KOSH:

~defends, putting up a fight but in the end the territory is taken as well, leaving the Master’s team with a little more than half their original territories~

~•~

DOCTOR:

~over the course of the game his ego seems to inflate. Looks at the last spot of Kosh and the Master’s territory, grinning and looking over at Theta, holding the attack dice out to him~ would you like to do the honors?

MASTER:

~rolls his eyes slightly, still looking quite flushed even after the long game~

THETA:

~grins back at the Doctor, taking the dice~ absolutely. ~rolls a one, a two and a six, hardly disappointed at all by the low numbers~

KOSH:

~rolls a defending die halfheartedly, looking indignantly defeated when it comes up a 1~

DOCTOR:

~sits back slightly in success, beginning to gather the pieces to clean up the game~ good game, you three! ~gathers the location cards, putting them away~

THETA:

~helps put the game away~

KOSH:

~seems glum about the loss but he smiles anyway~ you too; it was fun.

MASTER:

~just sits as still as possible, and after a moment he shudders, his muscles twitching occasionally though he tries to hide it~

DOCTOR:

~sits back after the game is put away, looking between the people in the room~ so… what now? ~tries not to look directly at the Master when asking the question, thinking it might be best for them to leave and come back to Kosh’s tomorrow all things considered~

KOSH:

~shrugs~ you guys can go if you need to, I mean, it feels like we’re holding you back for some reason.

MASTER:

~looks over at Kosh, then the Doctor, seeming ready to get up at any moment the Doctor might decide to leave~

DOCTOR:

~is about to say “you don’t hold us back” but skips that part as they do in the sense that he and the Master are more reserved around them~ Alright then; we’ll swing by before we leave the universe unless something urgent comes up… We’ll probably see you before that but there’s no time limit anymore so it’s not like anything’s planned. ~stands up, looking at the Master expectantly~

KOSH:

~smiles up at the Doctor~ Thanks; see you then.

MASTER:

~awkwardly stands and looks over at the Doctor, waiting until the Doctor moves before following him towards the door, keeping his distance from the Doctor for some reason~

DOCTOR:

~walks out casually, wondering why Kosh thanked him but shrugging it off. A couple seconds after he hears the Master close the door behind them he turns to him~ okay; you know I have to ask, how the heck did you manage to get so… worked up in your house playing a board game?

MASTER:

~looks at the Doctor timidly~ I-I don’t know… It’s not like it was anything in particular a-at the house. ~seems made more uncomfortable by the thought, of which could only be described as perverted~

DOCTOR:

Come on; no one gets aroused for hours on end for no reason. ~figures he shouldn’t be pushing the subject but is unable to suppress his curiosity, forcing himself to let the topic go~ never mind; what do you want to do now?

MASTER:

~hugs his arms close to himself, staring at the ground and giving a small shudder~ should you really be asking?

DOCTOR:

~stifles a chuckle at the Master’s response, automatically limping toward his own TARDIS~ well, I figured I shouldn’t assume.

MASTER:

~rolls his eyes slightly, following the Doctor without hesitance~ I wouldn’t have minded if you made an assumption either way.

DOCTOR:

~shrugs, heading into the TARDIS, greeting her the second he opens the door and leaving his memories open to her~

TARDIS:

~seems glad to have the Doctor nearby again after being away from him for multiple hours, which is much more than she’s been used to as of late; she takes a look at the Doctor’s memories briefly and happily expresses her liking to the Master’s stolen TARDIS~

MASTER:

~closes the door behind him and trails after the Doctor, not really caring where the Doctor’s planning to go~

DOCTOR:

~walks up to the hallway entrance, hesitating slightly before turning right into the hallway, starting up conversation as he finds silence annoyingly tense~ you know; Kosh was almost afraid of you.

MASTER:

~seems confused as the Doctor turns right, stopping a moment in the doorway with disappointment before following, catching up to the Doctor and walking closer to him than normal, making his unsteady breathing audible as he speaks in distress~ I-I was trying my best not to be frightening…

DOCTOR:

~turns his head to give the Master a reassuring smile~ you weren’t being frightening; but when he took my collar off of me-… It’s a little hard to make an excuse for a bite mark in my neck and it doesn’t take a genius to assume it was you who made it. I reassured him, it’s not a problem.

MASTER:

~reaches up and wraps his hands around the Doctor’s neck, pulling him to a stop by his throat as he smiles and murmurs~ thanks for reminding me. ~reaches around the Doctor to his pocket, taking out the collar and leash and latching the collar back around the Doctor’s neck~

DOCTOR:

~makes a choked, startled noise, tense at first though he relaxes slightly upon knowing what the Master’s doing, not resisting the somewhat diminishing act as he doesn’t truthfully mind the collar though he knows the leash allows a sort of control~

MASTER:

~released the Doctor’s throat after a moment, as if he wants to let the Doctor’s anxiety drag out for a few extra seconds~ so, where are we headed?

DOCTOR:

~shrugs to indicate nothing’s set in stone plan-wise~ I figured we could play a horror game or something; thought it might be fun and interesting as I generally refrain from playing those. ~continues down the hall before taking the turn into the game room’s hallway~

MASTER:

~follows after the Doctor, still walking close behind him and speaking mischievously~ alright, I’m up for it… ~brings a hand gently up to the side of the Doctor’s neck, rotating his collar until he can grab the leash, pulling it behind the Doctor and slipping his fingers through the loop at the end~ …as long as I get to play a game of my own after we’re done.

DOCTOR:

~gives a sly smile~ you get no objections from me. ~slows slightly before turning to the door and walking through it as he knows a fast and/or unexpected turn could now put a strain on his neck~ so; let’s see… I think I have some typical Earthly ones: Five Nights at Freddy’s, Slender, PT, Outlast…

MASTER:

~returns the Doctor’s smile, moving around as they enter the room to walk more beside the Doctor instead of behind him, shrugging slightly~ I don’t recognize any of them, so choose what you like.

DOCTOR:

I dunno… let’s do outlast. ~takes a case with green, progressively blurred letters that read “OUTLAST” out of the “PlayStation 1-3” box, walking over to one of the screens and putting the game into the PS3 and taking a controller~ you want to start? Or do you want me to?

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor as he walks around, not letting go of the Doctor’s leash. Puts his hands in his pockets, consequently pulling the Doctor’s leash taut as he replies~ you can go; as I said, I haven’t played it before.

DOCTOR:

If I ever played this I don’t remember anything about it but let’s do this! ~goes and sits in one of the two chairs, glad for their close proximity as it means he’s less likely to end up choked. Starts a “new game” on Outlast~

GAME:

~it asks if he wants to go on Normal, Hard, Nightmare, or Insane mode~

DOCTOR:

~comments as he goes with “Normal”~ I like how there is no easy mode.

MASTER:

I suppose difficulty is relative anyway. ~sits on the left side of the Doctor, watching the Doctor start up the game as he shortens the leash by casually wrapping it around his hand~

DOCTOR:

~after he selects the difficulty, the screen displays background information, which the Doctor proceeds to read aloud, acting as if the restraint on his neck is absolutely normal~ “Outlast contains intense violence, gore, graphic sexual content, and strong language. Please enjoy.” “You are Miles Upshur, an investigative reporter whose ambition is about to earn him an intimate tour of hell on earth. Always willing to risk digging into the stories no other journalist would dare investigate, you will seek out the dark secret at the heart of Mount Massive Asylum. Stay alive as long as you can, record everything. You are not a fighter; to navigate the horrors of Mount Massive and expose the truth, your only choices are to run, hide, or die.”

MASTER:

Interesting, so far. ~gently pulls on the Doctor’s neck for a few moments as if nonverbally taunting him about his control over the situation, giving a small smirk~ are all the games we play about hell on earth?

DOCTOR:

~thinks for a moment before answering, made a little uncomfortable by the Master’s actions~ all except for the ones you’ve made yourself so far. ~hits “continue”, starting the game~

GAME:

~it starts out in the first-person view of assumably Miles Upshur driving a car on a dirt road in what looks like an area of low population at night. There is a sign made visible by the car’s headlights as it turns and pulls up in front of the gates to the asylum. The sign reads “Mount Massive Asylum” in the sort of print and sign you’d expect for a morgue. The graphics are excellent~

MASTER:

~chuckles at the Doctor’s wording~ so, what’ve you considered to be a game then? ~wraps the leash around his hand again so that it forces the Doctor to get a few inches closer, watching him play the game~

DOCTOR:

~moves closer to the Master as required, answering with his eyes glued to the screen~ from now back I’d say Outlast, Risk, Portal… technically, everything we did purely for recreation could be considered games. ~glances briefly at the leash, reading the paper Miles has taken out of a blue folder in his car and commenting~ well, this sounds just like the suicidally idiotic thing a human would do. ~sounding almost irritated~

MASTER:

If he made the smart choice then there wouldn’t be a game to play. ~has the leash shortened so it’s slightly less than a foot long, putting a small yet constant strain on the Doctor’s neck~ but yes, it is idiotic.

DOCTOR:

True. ~Miles collects his camera and battery and gets out of the car, leaving the Doctor to take a moment figuring out how to move and use the camera and its night vision setting~ it said to film everything so whenever something important or interesting happens, the priorities are living and filming. ~goes through the gate with his camera off as it does have a battery limit. The gate closes behind Miles~

MASTER:

Great; I’m guessing it’s going to be an added handicap. ~speaks sarcastically, seeming to get more interested as the gameplay looks like it’s about to really start now~

GAME:

~Miles takes a note before letting the Doctor enter the asylum~

DOCTOR:

~this makes the Doctor seem exasperated as he reads it~ _of course_ they were testing some sort of dream therapy gone wrong in an asylum in America. ~puts the note away, walking up to the front door which is, of course, locked and he goes to find another entrance to the large run-down asylum~

MASTER:

~gives a small sigh~ It’s to be expected. ~thinks for a moment, hesitating before commenting and trying to sound casual~ although; ‘dream’ therapy sounds interesting.

DOCTOR:

If it’s done right. It’s not a foreign concept; it’s when someone uses someone’s dreams for a psychoanalysis; something I know about though I’ve not seen it used.

GAME:

~finds a broken part of fence, going through the gate and up a ladder to a platform of sorts that the game uses to teach the plater platforming until he gets to a window he can jump up and climb into through he can’t see what awaits him~

DOCTOR:

This is unnerving already and I’m sure this isn’t even the scary part.

MASTER:

It doesn’t seem like a process that—assumably—could make someone destructive and murderous. ~tries to learn the controls vicariously through the Doctor, also finding the situation unnerving but sounding somewhat teasing when he speaks~ you’re just scared of what you can’t see.

DOCTOR:

To use dream therapy is one thing; to experiment with it is another. It could cause a constant hallucinatory or dream state and those who would be in an asylum are presumably already a bit off in the head.

GAME:

~climbs up into the window to see a room with papers spread randomly and a couch leaned against the wall; the room’s light flickers dramatically as he stands up~

DOCTOR:

Awe come on, don’t- ~the light flickers off and the Doctor sighs, bringing up the night-vision camera to walk through the room, complaining anxiously~ I’m going to lose the battery if I do this through every dark area.

MASTER:

~snickers, partially to release some of his own tension~ told you; afraid of the dark. ~plays with the leash, loosening and tightening it inconsistently~ did he even think to bring an extra battery?

DOCTOR:

If either of us get jump-scared my neck is doomed right now. ~finds the door, opening it into a dimly lit hallway with a door across from him~

GAME:

~makes him put away the camera to open the door. Walks out into the hallway, looking left and right to see both direction blocked and stepping into another room with the camera off. The room is fairly normal and nicely furnished with a portrait of a priest on one wall—the only thing off about it seeming to be the dim lighting~

MASTER:

~smiles widely~ exactly. ~decidedly lets his hold on the leash loosen slightly, still keeping it taut but not straining the Doctor’s neck anymore as he watches the game progress with increasing nervousness~

DOCTOR:

~looks around curiously, approaching a table to hear a shrill screech and nearly chucking the controller as he curses loudly and looks around himself in-game to see a screen has turned on but it’s entirely static~ what the bloody fucking hell was that!?

MASTER:

~flinches out of surprise, but otherwise doesn’t respond~ it’s just a screen-… are you going to be this jumpy the whole time?

DOCTOR:

This situation is very tense and stressful, alright?

GAME:

~continues out of the room to have to walk down a cluttered hallway with blood here and there~

DOCTOR:

~filming their existence sporadically~ that was a flipping death screech; televisions don’t make that noise unless it’s from a broadcast.

MASTER:

Way to make it all less creepy. ~sarcastically commenting on the Doctor’s evaluation of the noise, wanting to shorten the Doctor’s leash in order to have the other Timelord closer however he loosens it further to prevent choking the Doctor should there be a worse scare~

GAME:

~explores a small room in which the only item of significance is a battery, continuing down the hall and going into rooms on occasion, nothing particularly spooky happens for a bit though it seems to build up suspense~

MASTER:

~watches intently, trying to keep himself prepared for anything that might come out unexpectedly~ we probably won’t end up playing through all of this, will we?

DOCTOR:

Probably not. ~as he nears the end of the hallway a wooden door slides shut on its own and he stops and looks at it~ should I try to go in? I don’t know if I want to know who that was.

MASTER:

Why the hell not? ~shrugs, looking pleased with himself as he comments~ we’re all mad here.

DOCTOR:

~looks like he’s about to protest, shrugging~ good point. ~goes to open it, discovering it’s been locked~ that’s disappointing.

GAME:

~goes into a different nearby room in which there is a bloody table that serves as a ramp to an opened air vent, climbing through the pitch-black dark area, only using the camera at first to see which direction to go in. Looks out of a vent into a hallway where he can hear a man running and he uses the camera without the night vision on to film him running into a room, putting the camera away~

DOCTOR:

Well they didn’t seem so violent… but I can’t break the vent open so… ~continues down the shaft~

MASTER:

Don’t trust anything. ~speaks nonchalantly, but gets tense as he watches and the game doesn’t seem to be that stressful at the moment, expecting a jump-scare~

GAME:

~at the end it’s open and he jumps out, all directions blocked except for the closed door to the library; all seems too pristine. Approaches the door, opening it and as soon as he does it seems as if a man has been strung to the ceiling and is swinging and there’s a loud, sudden yelling as the light quickly flickers off; the man is certainly dead when the yelling cuts off~

DOCTOR:

~in-game he backs off from the doorway, staring at it until things die down though out of game the Doctor has tensed up completely~

MASTER:

~is startled by the sudden noise, turning it into annoyance towards the game~ _why_ does there always have to be a loud-… oh, is that person decapitated? ~suddenly seems interested instead of terrified~

DOCTOR:

~brings up the night-vision camera, looking at the body strung from the ceiling by his ankles~ yes. Yes he is.

GAME:

~walks through the pitch-black dark library with the camera on, walking up to a man impaled on a pole on a bookshelf who starts talking: “they killed us; you can’t fight them! You have to hide. You have to get the fuck out of this place.”~

DOCTOR:

Okay, but how is he ali-

GAME:

~the man dies on the pole~

DOCTOR:

Oh… never mind.

MASTER:

On some… weird level… this is almost… offensive. ~chuckles to indicate that he doesn’t really mind it, explaining~ insane doesn’t always mean genocidal.

DOCTOR:

We don’t know if that man was a patient or a scientist, he didn’t have a clear indicator. Genocidal doesn’t mean insane either. ~finds the door to go out into another hallway that’s wider and more cluttered than the others and ends in a turn left~ and in all fairness, if I was put in a constant dream state I’d probably end up hurting someone… and this is the moment when I become infinitely grateful that GLaDOS couldn’t hear that.

MASTER:

But as I was saying, how would you do that? Put someone in a constant dream state… with earth technology, of course. ~finds talking and thinking like GLaDOS would takes his mind off of the creepiness of the game~

DOCTOR:

~goes down the hall and turns the corner, having to sidle through one portion~ for humans It would have to be a near-constant stream of drugs though for more advanced species and Aperture—because I will admit that they’re excessively adv—HOLY MOTHER OF-

GAME:

~a large man covered in blood has come up to Miles as he was looking the other direction to sidle, saying something incomprehensible and picking Miles up and chucking him out of a window into a room of some sort. Miles Upshur lands and passes out~

MASTER:

~tenses up and lets out a small squeak, leaning back into the chair as if to back away from the screen and speaking quietly~ are we dead?

GAME:

~slowly, the fact that you are laying on the ground of a large room becomes evident through sight~

DOCTOR:

I think we just passed out… no, that means anything could’ve happened while we were out!

GAME:

~Miles looks up and sees a sane-looking man in a green robe looking down at him. The man says “and who are you, then? I—I see you have sent me the parcel. Guard your life, son. You have calling.” He passes out again and when he wakes up and gets up, a few corpses nearby in the same fully lit room though the robed man is gone. Text at the top of the screen says “new objective: escape the asylum”~

DOCTOR:

Thank god we’re supposed to do the smart thing now but who the hell was that?

MASTER:

~glances over at the Doctor when he says anything could’ve happened, veering away from the train of thought it starts and focusing on the mystery of the man, shrugging~ is there any way we could possibly go back the way we came? ~sighs~ probably not.

DOCTOR:

~looks around himself, finding the broken window; however, it has to be about 15-20 feet off the ground~ I’d say that’s a no.

MASTER:

He fell pretty far, too. ~gets somewhat discombobulated with all the Doctor’s looking around~ are there any open doors?

DOCTOR:

Uhmmmm… ~looks back at eye-level~ the locked entrance doors and that dark doorway. ~goes into the room in which the only light comes from blue-screened computers, using the camera to look and discover an immense amount of corpses against the shadowed walls and strewn across the floor, putting the camera away and walking through the room into a small storage area with a doorway to another hall~

MASTER:

Well someone was busy. ~observes the corpses with a discomforting level of interest~ is recording things still an objective or no?

DOCTOR:

I’m assuming we still want them to close this place so yeah. ~peers down the hallway, seeing a man in a wheelchair and walking towards him, given no other choice~ is he dead? Nope. He’s moving.

MASTER:

Don’t trust him. ~nervously repeating what he said before, wondering what’s making the person in the wheelchair twitch like he is~ they made all the patients look sort of… undead.

DOCTOR:

I think I just have to walk past him…

GAME:

~walks past the man, filming him for a second when he’s closest, going into a room on the other end of the hall, closing the door behind him for reassurance and turning to see a room like the second one they were in except there are men in the chairs all but one staring up at the screen that displays only static and has a smeared splatter of blood on it; the one that isn’t staring is curled and rocking back and forth on a couch~

DOCTOR:

They don’t look undead… though that doesn’t seem to limit their ability to make the situation creepy.

MASTER:

The game’s trying to make you think they’re not dangerous. Maybe they aren’t; but still… ~remains untrusting, however he’s interested by the patients’ actions~ I wonder if they see anything on that screen…

DOCTOR:

Do you think maybe it’s a little hypocritical for us to judge the undead anyway?

GAME:

~walks through, going through the door on the other side and closing it behind him. Is in a closed off section of hallway with a dark room that contains another zombie-esc person staring at a screen, wearing a pass that Miles undoubtedly needs~

MASTER:

Why would it be? People don’t—well, humans don’t—come back from the dead. ~looks closer at the person in the chair~ that one doesn’t seem alive; you should take his pass.

DOCTOR:

He’s going to attack me or something! ~sounds more like he’s complaining than anything else, walking up to the man and taking the pass, instantly stepping back. The man doesn’t move~ oh. Okay… ~walks back as that is the only way to go~ I think there were other ways to go from that big room. ~goes back into the static screen room with the men who are all in the same position~ I am ready to run if something happens here.

MASTER:

I told you he was dead. ~remains tense as the Doctor re-enters the room with the static screen, remembering the person in the wheelchair outside and wondering if he’s moved at all~ is there anything you can do to defend yourself?

DOCTOR:

Your only choices are to run, hide, or die. ~repeats the last line of the starting screen as an answer, walking around the men and going through the other door~ well; they were harmless…

GAME:

~looks down the hall at the wheelchair man, walking down the hall towards him. When he gets near—as the hallway is narrow—the man jumps off of the wheelchair and pins Miles to the ground by his neck~

DOCTOR:

SHIT! The buttons aren’t doing anything, can’t run away… ~his voice has gone up an octave as it does when he’s nervous or panicked~

MASTER:

~manages to find amusement in the Doctor’s panicked voice despite the stressful situation, grinning while still feeling inwardly terrified and decidedly not making any further comments~

GAME:

~Miles manages to push the man off and runs all the way back into the large room in game~

DOCTOR:

Well that was- ~clears his throat, bringing his voice down to a dignified octave~ unexpectedly terrifying.

GAME:

~there are large bloody letters that say “proclaim the gospel” on the one wall the Doctor hadn’t bothered looking at before~

MASTER:

~stops himself from chuckling, taking notice of the letters on the wall~ is this game based around religion? There was a picture of a priest on the wall earlier.

DOCTOR:

If it’s religion it’s a religious cult.

GAME:

~finds another room and a hall that contains a surveillance room he has to go into, an unfriendly-looking guy walking into one of the nearby rooms. Explores a bit until he finds the room which he needs the card he stole to go into, things being fairly uneventful until now~

MASTER:

Ooh, security cameras… ~relaxing slightly with the expectation of getting an upper hand and being able to see who’s coming~

GAME:

~”they lie” is written on the wall of the control room and he goes to the computer to unlock the main doors to escape and as he’s typing one screens shows the green robed man turn out the power, making the area pitch black~

DOCTOR:

~squeaks slightly in startled discomfort~

GAME:

~what can be assumed are the emergency lights come on, giving the area a dim lighting~

MASTER:

Who was that? ~glances over at the Doctor when he squeaks, now watching the screen and drifting into distracted thought~

DOCTOR:

The man from when we were—shitshitshitfuckshit

GAME:

~the bloody man that threw him out of the window visibly approaches the room and Miles hides in the convenient locker. A new objective says that you have to restart the power as the man grunts and growls as he searches the room~

MASTER:

~slides down a bit in his chair, going tensely silent until the unsettling man finally gives up and leaves~ …from when we were half conscious? ~finishing the Doctor’s answer~ so, is he trying to help us or not? ~sounds distressed and confused~

DOCTOR:

I think he wants us to stay for some reason but I don’t want to find out what… I also don’t really want to get out of this locker. ~gets out of the locker anyway, going out into the hall and looking in the direction it seemed like the disturbing man had gone to see an abyss of darkness and running the other direction as that was the direction to go in to get the basement to power the place up anyway~ not even going to ask where either of them went.

MASTER:

~brings his hands into his lap, pulling suddenly on the Doctor’s leash almost as if he had forgotten he was still holding it, yet he doesn’t apologize~ you know where the main power is, then?

DOCTOR:

I know in most places on Earth you have to restart it in the basement. And I know there were stairs… here.

GAME:

~goes down the steps, stopping his running when he gets to the poorly lit basement, going through semi-flooded tunnels in search of the power, hearing someone shout “who’s there” and making a run for it, the night vision camera on the whole time as the area is extremely dark in reality~

MASTER:

Are there usually large flooded tunnels in a basement? ~looks over at the Doctor briefly, focusing on the screen again when the person’s voice is heard~

DOCTOR:

Not usually but in a spooky asylum game apparently there are. ~his voice jumps up an octave mid-sentence~

GAME:

~tells him he needs to start up 3 pumps to restart the power, searching frantically until he finds the first one and presses the button, immediately followed by banging on the door to the large room that connects to the smaller room in which he found the pump and he closes the small room’s door~

DOCTOR:

Nowhere to hide; where’s a fucking locker when you need one!? ~crouches behind a machine and films in order to see~

MASTER:

~comes back to full attention, waiting in tense fear of whoever’s behind the door~ you don’t usually swear this much. ~tries to keep himself from sounding stressed~

DOCTOR:

I don’t usually play horror games either!

GAME:

~a man more nimble and slender than the one that threw him through a window breaks the door down and looks around, wielding a baseball bat or what resembles one~

DOCTOR:

Usually I do the swearing in my head because there are better things to do when I’m in a real stressful situation.

MASTER:

Maybe the dark hides you… ~looks over the man that has just broken in and shakes his head slightly, looking confused for a moment as he glances downward~ unless everyone here can see in the dark; in that case you’re pretty much screwed.

DOCTOR:

NOT HELPING.

MASTER:

~replies nonchalantly~ it’s a hobby of mine.

GAME:

~the man leaves and the Doctor watches him leave the larger room before running off to find the second pump, finding it and pressing the button before seeing the man already halfway there through the night vision camera~

DOCTOR:

If he can see in the dark he’s seen me. ~hides in a nearby locker~

MASTER:

~awaits the actions of the man, which will either confirm or deny his suspicions~ at least you’ve got a locker now.

GAME:

~the man walks directly to the locker, opening it with ease and pinning Miles to the back of it by his neck before brutally beating Miles to death; his face literally not that of a human as it appears he has just one eye and the rest of his face is literally blank. The screen goes black and gives the options “continue” or “save and exit”~

DOCTOR:

We died.

MASTER:

~pauses for a moment~ congrats. ~pauses again in thought~ right; should we stop there, then? ~looks over at the Doctor intently for a response~

DOCTOR:

Yeah. ~hits “save and exit”, turning the system off via controller and setting the controller down~ well that was extremely stressful.

MASTER:

~rests his right hand on the back of the Doctor’s chair, which directs the strain on the Doctor’s collar up and back slightly as he brings himself to his feet~ which is often fun to watch. ~comes around in front of the Doctor, looking down at him with a small, devious smile as he places his left hand on the Doctor’s chest, feeling his accelerated heartbeat~

DOCTOR:

~swallows, glad he’s not on some stimulant drug though the thought just reminds him that the Master still has the remaining drugs from earlier, making him slightly more panicked. Looks at the Master’s hand then the Master himself a little timidly~

MASTER:

~slides himself forward onto the chair, straddling the Doctor and keeping him from standing as he speaks, his voice gently~ you seem nervous. ~brushes his left hand against the Doctor’s cheek briefly~

DOCTOR:

~forces a slight smile, speaking a little unsteadily~ last time you stood over me holding my leash you made me consume various drugs. ~his head leans into the Master’s hand when it brushes past~ nervous, but not without reason.

MASTER:

~smiles widely~ well, maybe not drugs this time. ~sits back on the Doctor, bringing his hand up to slowly undo the Doctor’s tie and the first few buttons of his undershirt as his gaze flicks back and forth between what he’s doing and the Doctor’s eyes~

DOCTOR:

~watches the Master intently, not protesting though unsure of whether he 100% approves. Figures the Master’s game has begun, deciding to trust him at least for now, relaxing slightly~

MASTER:

~comes forward for a gentle kiss, almost immediately probing his tongue into the Doctor’s mouth as he rocks his hips forward, grinding slightly against the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~hums in approval and arousal, parting his jaw to compensate for the Master’s tongue, his hands instinctively resting on the Master’s sides~

MASTER:

~pulls away from the kiss after a moment, his hands having found their way to the Doctor’s neck and face. Brings his right hand back up to where it originally was, pulling the Doctor’s collar up to his jaw and forcing him to look upwards slightly as the Master meets his gaze with a smile~ so tell me, Doctor; would you like me to continue? ~speaks in that silky voice of his and rocks his hips forward again~

DOCTOR:

~bites the inside of his lip to stop an undignified noise from escaping him, forcing himself to meet the Master’s gaze as he replies a little weakly~ yes.

MASTER:

~grins widely at the approval~ as you wish. ~comes forward to suck and kiss at the Doctor’s exposed neck, with the goal of giving him a few small bruises. Continues to push himself forward into the Doctor on occasion~

DOCTOR:

~lets his eyes drift closed, allowing the Master maximum access to his neck and occasionally giving a small hum of pleasure, mentally acknowledging the Master’s mildly violent passion but not minding it~

MASTER:

~playfully nips at the Doctor’s Adam’s apple, all of his actions being relatively gently up until now when he slides back off of the chair, taking a few steps backward and yanking the Doctor forward by his neck, proudly commanding~ heel, Doctor. ~obviously wanting the Doctor to come forward off of the chair~

DOCTOR:

~makes a startled noise when his leash is yanked, having not expected the sudden aggression but getting up off the chair, standing and looking at the Master as if awaiting his next command~

MASTER:

~puts a hand on the Doctor’s shoulder as if ready to make him kneel~ down. ~sounds like he’s quite pleased with how well he seems to have been able to condition the Doctor; asks him innocently~ what, have you lost the will to speak?

DOCTOR:

~hesitates, kneeling while looking at the Master warily. The question clearly takes him off-guard~ I—um-… I don’t have anything to say. ~meets the Master’s gaze equivalently, deciding he’s going to be as rebelliously obedient as possible~

MASTER:

~chuckles in amusement, pulling the Doctor’s leash taut and stepping forward to brush his obviously aroused self against the Doctor’s cheek~ you should have something to say.

DOCTOR:

~stays as still as physically possible, forcing his voice to be steady~ well, whether or not I should, I clearly don’t. Not besides what I’m saying now, anyway.

MASTER:

~pulls on the leash, yanking the Doctor into himself and muffling the end of his sentence~ I like it when you say my name. ~suggests sweetly~

DOCTOR:

~looks up at the Master, seeming to weigh his options before speaking with a slight smirk~ I’ll keep that in mind.

MASTER:

~shortens the already taut leash from where he holds it, painfully and continuously straining the Doctor’s neck and looking down at the other Timelord, obviously beginning to get fed up~ don’t be getting all clever about this.

DOCTOR:

~grimaces, wanting to keep his dignity though he reasons that it could be worse and gives in~ fine, fine… I’m sorry… Master. ~his gaze finally drops to the floor as he says “Master”~

MASTER:

~loosens the leash back to where it was, grinning victoriously~ there we go; much better. ~pets the Doctor’s head in approval, fluffing up his hair~ good boy. ~reaches down to the edge of his trousers, slowly unlatching his belt~

DOCTOR:

~stays where he is, not daring to move, just glad the Master has only used his power like this as a private display, finding the Master’s slow movement taunting~

MASTER:

Still nervous? ~tilts his head slightly to the side as he slides his belt off using his one available hand, brushing the end of it against the bridge of the Doctor’s nose teasingly before letting it fall to the ground~

DOCTOR:

Name one thing about this situation that isn’t the slightest bit unnerving. ~is clearly annoyed by the question, glaring at the Master’s belt as if it’s the source of the problem~

MASTER:

~chuckles~ you know I’m just trying to annoy you. ~continues moving slowly as he unbuttons his trousers, and lets the tip of his length brush lightly against the Doctor’s lips, watching closely for any sort of recoil or protest. It takes a lot of self-control to keep himself still considering how aroused he is and has been~

DOCTOR:

~forces himself to remain still, considering several courses of action and deciding to do something he doubts the Master would expect of him, smirking slightly and lightly licking the tip of the Master’s length, just once~

MASTER:

~lets out a short, open-mouthed squeak of surprise and almost thrusts himself forward, having been caught off-guard by the action which was close to the last thing he would’ve expected from the Doctor~ wh- ~cuts himself off, glaring playfully down at the Doctor although his face has turned a faint shade of red~

DOCTOR:

~laughs at the Master’s reaction, grinning up at the Master from where he still kneels. Seems pleased by his ability to gain an almost entirely imaginary upper-hand in even this situation~

MASTER:

~isn’t amused at all by what the Doctor seems to think is so funny~ alright; since you’re so eager… ~brings his left hand to the Doctor’s jaw, forcing his mouth open and not hesitating to thrust himself forward all the way to the back of the Doctor’s throat, holding him still by tightly gripping his hair~

DOCTOR:

~stops himself from gagging, easily swirling his tongue around the Master’s length, swallowing occasionally on reflex~

MASTER:

~pants heavily, each breath coming out as a half-moan even though he’s trying to stifle it; speaks weakly~ damn… ~gradually loosens his grip on the Doctor’s hair and leash, allowing him room to move if he so chooses, only doing so out of curiosity~

DOCTOR:

~his tongue stops for a brief second as he contemplates backing off, deciding to continue pleasuring the Master, not really seeing a better course of action and figuring the Master deserves at least this much after being aroused and controlling himself despite the fact for this long~

MASTER:

~grabs hold of the Doctor’s hair again, rocking himself back and forth slightly as he bites back noises, the actions causing repeated contact with the back of the Doctor’s throat and tempting a gag reflex~

DOCTOR:

~despite his efforts, he does end up gagging once or twice as the Master rocks back and forth in his throat and mouth, finding that his throat is becoming sore but not really minding it~

MASTER:

~bites his lip and gives a pleasured hum, letting his eyes close halfway as he backs out slightly and continues more shallowly in and out of the Doctor’s mouth at a somewhat faster pace~

DOCTOR:

~finds the less far back movement more comfortable at least as far as his throat is concerned, trying to make is as enjoyable as possible for the Master though at this point he doesn’t really have to do much~

MASTER:

~continues for a while longer, speeding up a bit more before going tense, pulling himself out of the Doctor’s mouth with a short noise as he comes and gets it dripping down the Doctor’s face, mostly on purpose~

DOCTOR:

~makes a startled noise, wiping his face with his hand on instinct and giving a good-humored chuckle as he clears his eyes of cum~ I’m all wet. ~pun~

MASTER:

~laughs, still out of breath as he closes his trousers back up~ do you mean your face or something else? ~loosens the Doctor’s leash while still not letting go of it, looking down at the Doctor and smirking at how pitiful he looks from this angle~

DOCTOR:

~snickers slightly, looking up at the Master~ wouldn’t you like to know? ~shakes his hand slightly~ nope, just my face and my hands; sorry. ~still smiling a little~

MASTER:

~chuckles, letting the Doctor’s leash slip out of his hand as he crouches down to meet the Doctor’s gaze at eye level~ how will we ever get you cleaned up? ~mimics distress while smirking, wiping a finger along the Doctor’s cheek and pushing the liquid it collects into the Doctor’s mouth~

DOCTOR:

~makes a noise of protest though he doesn’t really resist the Master despite how diminishing the act is. Feels as if he’s somewhere between the Master’s lover and the Master’s pet, thinking he might be a little too accepting of that~

MASTER:

~takes notice of the fact that the Doctor is fully capable of getting up and walking away and yet he doesn’t; smiling widely as he wipes another bit of cum off of the Doctor’s face, pushing the Doctor’s jaw down in order to wipe his finger off on the Doctor’s tongue, leaving his finger in the Doctor’s mouth as is a form of testing obedience and submission~

DOCTOR:

~knows what the Master is trying to do, not moving despite the fact but looking at the Master as if observing his reaction to observing his reaction~

MASTER:

~grins, taking his finger out of the Doctor’s mouth after a moment and coming forward to give the Doctor a brief but passionate open-mouthed kiss, and after he pulls away he casually licks a bit of cum off of the Doctor’s nose, then stands up~

DOCTOR:

~his eyes cross slightly when the Master licks his nose, slowly standing up while looking at the Master when the Master’s standing as if trying to be sure him standing isn’t against what the Master wants~

MASTER:

~doesn’t show any protest, watching the Doctor as he stands and meeting his gaze for a few moments, but the sight of him just standing there with semen all over his face eventually makes him burst out laughing~

DOCOTOR:

~scowls at the Master, wiping more stuff off of his face~ yeah, yeah; real funny. ~gives a little smile to indicate that he does see the humor in the situation~ well, I’m going to go wash this off of my face and hope parallel us aren’t peeking in when I pass the console room. ~starts toward the doorway~

MASTER:

~manages to stifle his laughing enough to speak and waves dismissively after the Doctor, smiling~ yeah sure, go ahead. ~walks over to where he left the Doctor’s tie, not seeming as if he intends to follow the Doctor out~

 


	10. Gallifrey pt.2

DOCTOR:

~walks out and down the hall, taking the relatively near turn toward the console room and mentally casually asking the TARDIS how she’s doing~

TARDIS:

~she replies positively, although she too seems amused by the Doctor’s nonchalant behavior, considering the degrading things the Master had just put him through~

DOCTOR:

Just making the best out of a bad situation. ~walks past the console room, talking to the TARDIS to refrain from going back over events in his head~

TARDIS:

~decidedly dismisses the topic and asks the Doctor about what they should be able to do back in their original universe now that they have a new advantage~

DOCTOR:

The other TARDIS isn’t connected to GLaDOS; we have time travel. ~goes to run his hand along the wall but he realizes that if he does so he’ll just end up smearing stuff on the walls, stopping himself~ though once we’ve escaped GLaDOS, I’m taking you across time and space like “tomorrow” is an unreasonably relative concept.

TARDIS:

~is made very happy at the thought, taking the statement almost like a flirtatious one and stating that she’ll eagerly look forward to it; is content being here for now, though, informing the Doctor that there’s no need to rush back to their problems~

DOCTOR:

~gets to the bathroom by now, going up to a sink to wash his face and hands~ yeah; believe me, I’m in no hurry to get back. ~finishes washing them, drying himself off with a hand towel~ though I can hardly wait for things to get back to normal… well, normal plus the Master.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door to the bathroom opens as the Doctor’s about to leave~

MASTER:

~peers inside as if on cue and holds out the Doctor’s converses~ hallo; you’re going to want to put your shoes on.

DOCTOR:

~having not expected for the Master to come to the bathroom let alone just to give him his shoes, takes the shoes and shoves them onto his feet, tying them~ thanks. I honestly forgot I wasn’t wearing them.

MASTER:

You’re welcome. Oh, and here’s your tie. ~sets the tie on top of the Doctor’s head and turns back out into the hallway, bounding off towards the console room almost as if he’s playing around with the springiness of his long fall boots~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles lightly and takes the tie off of his head, going to tie it properly before realizing that his undershirt is still partially unbuttoned and buttoning it back up before putting his tie on~

MASTER:

What’s taking you so long? Come on! ~calls eagerly from further down the hallway, half-jogging half-bouncing in a somewhat circular pattern in order to stall until the Doctor comes back out of the bathroom~

DOCTOR:

Coming! ~goes out of the bathroom, striding over to the Master, smiling~ what’s all of the excitement about?

MASTER:

Oh, nothing… ~is obviously being sarcastic; grins happily, taking the Doctor’s hand and pulling him along as he jogs to the console room, having to let go of the Doctor’s hand in order to open the TARDIS door and bound outside~

ENVIRONMENT:

~there, Gallifrey’s two suns are beginning to set behind a familiar mountain in the distance, turning the sky an array of bright red-orange colors and setting the forests ablaze with silver shine~

DOCTOR:

~his smile widens at the sight, looking at the beautiful display that he thought he’d never see again in ecstatic awe, closing the TARDIS doors behind him when he strides out, almost moved to tears as the destroyer of all this—no, the Time War did that, he won’t think about that now~

KOSH & THETA:

~are out as well, playing in the grass and watching the sun set far enough away that their voices aren’t understandable~

MASTER:

~snuggles up to the Doctor’s side, smiling widely~ Did I do well?

DOCTOR:

~brings his arm around the Master’s back, hugging him slightly and speaking happily~ you did perfectly, Master. ~leans into the Master slightly~

MASTER:

~leans back into the Doctor with an elated smile, just watching Theta and Kosh play for a few moments in contented silence. Suddenly takes the Doctor’s hand and pulls him along, half-jogging over towards the line of trees~

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master joyously, stumbling in surprise at first but quickly matching the Master’s pace, not caring exactly where they’re going~

MASTER:

~doesn’t really know where he intended to go in the first place, slowing after they scale a slight hill and coming to a stop by gently spinning himself around and nesting in between the Doctor’s chest and his left arm, not letting go of the Doctor’s hand as he stares out at the scenery, able to see just a bit farther because of the higher elevation~

DOCTOR:

~smiles contentedly, watching the suns set on the beautiful silvery horizon of Gallifrey, speaking after a silent moment~ I’m going to miss it…

MASTER:

~tilts his head upward slightly and gently nuzzles the Doctor’s cheek, speaking softly~ we’ll still have each other, and that’s good enough for me. ~lets his eyes drift closed for a moment~ I promise… I won’t try to leave you. ~seems to be choosing his words carefully after the “I promise”~

DOCTOR:

~wraps his right arm around the Master as the other is already there, feeling as if the Master’s statement is the best he’s heard for a long time, speaking in an equally soft tone~ nor I you. ~sounds almost as if he’s on the verge of tears though he’s smiling warmly~

MASTER:

~smiles too, leaning faintly back into the Doctor and giving a quiet hum of contentment as he gently nuzzles the Doctor’s cheek again~

KOSH & THETA:

~look on from afar, as if happily marveling at how far their older selves seem to have come~

DOCTOR:

~nuzzles the Master back, extremely happy with the situation, feeling as if they’ve gotten through the worst of it all though knowing that’s an unsafe assumption~

MASTER:

~chuckles lightheartedly, remaining in happy silence for a while longer and feeling at home in the Doctor’s arms, letting his eyes close. When he opens them again and regains the will to move the first sun has disappeared and the second is halfway there; turns himself around without letting go of the Doctor’s hand in such a way that the Doctor’s other arm rests over his shoulder, bringing his left hand to the Doctor’s side as if he’s about to start dancing impromptu~

DOCTOR:

~smiles warmly at the Master, not really sure what his intentions are as far as the position change is concerned but not particularly caring, up for pretty much anything~

MASTER:

~takes a small step forward to get closer to the Doctor, smiling back as he pulls the Doctor into a gentle waltz, taking the lead and glancing upward as the first of the stars begin to show in the sky~

DOCTOR:

~easily follows the Master’s lead, glancing up briefly at the stars, curious as to how different their alignment is and finding it quite similar. Falls into the gentle rhythm of the waltz, wondering exactly what made the Master want to set this up as he’s never thought of the Master as the romantic type~

MASTER:

~glances downward with a little smile and starts softly humming that old Gallifreyan song that seems to have been popping up more frequently as of late, the tune falling into the rhythm of the waltz perfectly as he tries to put a cheerful lift in his steps, finding that he’s already on tiptoe because of his boots~

DOCTOR:

~grinning happily, hums a harmony to the Master’s melody, trying to match the Master’s cheerful step but faltering as his left ankle protests the greater pressure due to his partially healed bullet wound, settling with showing his cheerfulness through his expression~

MASTER:

~gets a bit disoriented with the Doctor’s misstep, stumbling forward into the Doctor and bringing the dance to a stop as he giggles at his clumsy mistake, bringing his arms around the Doctor’s waist in a loose hug as he smiles warmly up at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~lets his own arms wrap around the Master, chuckling at the mixup as well~ sorry about that. ~doesn’t look or sound really sorry at all, the overall situation giving him a steady sense of elation~

MASTER:

~stretches himself upward slightly to give the Doctor a kiss~ it’s quite alright. ~smiles and rests his head on the Doctor’s shoulder, draping his right arm over the Doctor’s shoulder and closing his eyes, the sky beginning to darken now~

DOCTOR:

~wraps his arms further around the Master, resting his own head on the Master’s shoulder and sighing in contentment, letting his eyes close, letting his mind block out everything but him and the Master here and now~

MASTER:

~relaxes, after a peaceful moment of silence reaching down with his left hand to playfully grope the Doctor, pulling away from him with a mischievous grin before turning and bounding back down the hill, heading towards his own TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~blushes slightly at the close and unexpected action, following the Master while wondering why they were going to the other TARDIS though he figures he should meet her at least~

MASTER:

~waits until the Doctor catches up to him before sliding the door open and stepping inside the TARDIS~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the interior is at its default white, round console room with large circular lights~

MASTER:

Tav’s been through all the briefing, and is fine with joining us; thought you should meet her before we go back.

TAV:

~makes the first impression of having an easygoing and whimsically mischievous kind of personality~

DOCTOR:

~stops himself from opening his entire mind to the TARDIS on instinct, avoiding brushing against bits of her as he would in his~ hello… Tav? ~not used to any other TARDIS on an extreme level, awkwardly gives the most basic information on him mentally~

MASTER:

~walks up to the console~ it was her idea… short for Tavradhinne. ~shrugs slightly~

TAV:

~greets the Doctor by somewhat teasingly addressing him as the Master’s boyfriend~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles lightheartedly, seeming to get more comfortable with the environment after his initial awkward unfamiliarity with the situation~

MASTER:

~smiles over at the Doctor, tweaking a few small things on the console~ so, do you like her? ~walks around the console and checks a monitor on the wall~ she’s seemed to take a liking to just about everyone so far… except for GLaDOS of course.

DOCTOR:

She seems lovely! ~walks further into the TARDIS as he had still been standing near the doorway, looking at the console with slight interest~ I don’t expect anyone in their right mind to like GLaDOS and even someone in the wrong mind would surprise me if they took a liking to Her.

MASTER:

~his gaze flicks downward and he sets his jaw, awkwardly not responding to the Doctor’s statement although he realizes a bit too late that silence gives the Doctor more time to think about why~

DOCTOR:

O-oh… ~it seems to take hardly any time for the Doctor to figure out the situation~ sorry… really, though? …I mean, she _did-…_ well, then again… ~fails to make anything but realization clear in his stammering, calming himself down and thinking through it before speaking~ I mean, I guess I could see how someone might take a liking to her if not biased against her…

MASTER:

It’s fine, Doctor. ~speaks through a gentle sigh, looking up to meet the Doctor’s gaze and hesitating to continue~ …my own beliefs aren’t a priority anymore.

DOCTOR:

Okay… ~thinks for a moment about he’s probably setting double-standards anyway, speaking after a gap of awkward silence~ speaking of which, we should probably develop a plan before we go back.

MASTER:

Yeah… ~remains still for another moment before continuing to explore the controls as he speaks~ can we put one TARDIS in tow of another? We’ll want to avoid being separated, while still keeping Tav untouched.

DOCTOR:

As long as we land outside of Aperture, Tav should be fine. As for towing TARDISes, obviously I’ve never done it before but it could probably be done though we might have to take the shields down from the TARDIS that is being towed.

MASTER:

~nods~ sorry, but it’ll be best if we use your TARDIS as little as possible… there’s still the telepathic connection and there’s no telling what GLaDOS might do with it. ~stops messing with the controls, heading over to the door~ so, let’s go figure out how to tow your TARDIS.

DOCTOR:

I can take the shields down easy… should we just _ask_ the TARDISes how to tow one if we can? ~thinks for a second, following the Master~ or we could just each drive a TARDIS; there _are_ two of us.

MASTER:

~shakes his head~ no… there’s the possibility of us crashing back into perhaps the wrong universes or getting separated in some other way… not to mention, whoever’s in your TARDIS when we get back will undoubtedly get the worst of whatever GLaDOS throws at us as punishment… ~steps out of his TARDIS, heading to the Doctor’s~

DOCTOR:

~nods, finding the Master’s point a valid one~ though we’re going to have to face whatever she’s decided she’s going to do sooner or later. ~mentally greets his own TARDIS when they reach her, leaving his mind open to her as usual~

TARDIS:

~greets the Doctor, seeing that he had met Tav as well as the rest of the plan that she hadn’t been filled in on yet, worriedly bringing up the fact that there’s nothing to stop GLaDOS from hurting her and/or using her to influence the two Timelords~

MASTER:

We’ll try our best to avoid it if possible. ~seems somewhat doubtful of his own statement, stepping into the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

The—or, my—TARDIS has a point. ~glances up briefly~ sorry for not thinking about it earlier; but the TARDIS is GLaDOS’ last easy “bargaining chip”, so to speak, and we may be able to hide from GLaDOS but the TARDIS—much like yourself until recently—cannot. ~walks into his TARDIS behind the Master~

MASTER:

Well—um-, is there a way to disconnect the TARDIS? ~realizes that if the TARDIS is used as a bargaining chip then their upper hand could be quickly turned around; since GLaDOS knows not to trust them with any ounce of freedom by now~

DOCTOR:

You tried that, remember? ~seems a bit uncomfortable with what he’s about to suggest~ the only times it seems like she’s disconnected is when she’s off and when she’s in a parallel…

MASTER:

We can’t just… stay here… ~walks up to the console, seeming more unsure of his statement the more he thinks about it~ we could turn her off for the jump back… but I doubt you’d be alright with keeping her off for an extended period of time.

DOCTOR:

~hesitates, knowing desperate times call for desperate measures and asking the TARDIS how she feels on the subject~ to be rid of GLaDOS the only thing that seems like it could work by now is annihilation; which you know is my last resort but UNIT and Torchwood together could probably cover it without getting near Her or harming those in Eaden, given their alien tech.

MASTER:

~seems to grow uncomfortable although he tries to mask it~ there’s hundreds of other subjects in Aperture as well…

TARDIS:

~is hesitant but replies that she’ll be fine with being shut down if it’s necessary~

DOCTOR:

~grimaces slightly at the thought of killing hundreds of people for their own freedom~ then how do you suggest we escape without risking Tav, because I doubt we’ll be able to use my TARDIS shut down or not shut down.

MASTER:

Wait, sorry for changing the subject, but can’t the TARDIS make another sonic? She’s not connected now so there shouldn’t be anything to stop her… ~walks around the console but doesn’t mess with any of the controls as he looks through them~ just saying, it’d be helpful to have.

DOCTOR:

Good point… ~looks over at the glowing blue column of the console~ could you? ~feels sorry for asking so much of the TARDIS, knowing the apologetic thought is probably as evident to her as it would be if he were to say sorry~

TARDIS:

~doesn’t seem hindered by the request, happily complying and humming decisively as she gets to work on it~

DOCTOR:

~looks back at the Master~ she’s on it. ~trying to think of a better plan than his first~ though even with a sonic I can’t see any other long-ranged solution to the problem.

MASTER:

We could try powering Her down like last time… If a paradox will work again. Then you could use the sonic to shut Her down or cripple Her or something. ~looks around, feeling as if it’s becoming increasingly difficult to be confident about any one plan~

DOCTOR:

If I get the frequency right I can usually short out electronics or scan them… if I could amplify the noise—which I probably can—I could probably destroy or at least short out GLaDOS’ main systems long enough to simply—and perhaps quite literally—cut her source of power. Of course, we’ll have to work fast and bring Tav into Aperture in order to accomplish this.

MASTER:

Bringing Tav in shouldn’t be a problem… if this works. ~sighs lightly, after a moment walking over to the Doctor and standing behind him, resting his head on the Doctor’s shoulder and curling his right arm around the Doctor’s waist as he closes his eyes~

DOCTOR:

~smiles a little at the contact, desperately hoping their plan works~ seems like the universe owes us this one… ~stops himself from saying “though I know for a fact that the universe doesn’t care enough to keep score”, trying to be optimistic without bringing his hopes too high~

MASTER:

I hope so. ~opens his eyes, reaching across the Doctor to hold his left hand and gently pulling the Doctor around to face him~ care for another walk? It’s probably twilight by now.

DOCTOR:

Sure. ~smiles at the Master, his suggestion reminding the Doctor that they still are in their happy parallel with however much time they allow themselves~

MASTER:

~smiles back playfully, letting go of the Doctor’s hand to take hold of his leash instead and lead him outside, as if this is what he meant by a walk~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles good-humoredly; following the Master and figuring he should have expected this, all things considered, wondering what Kosh and Theta are doing now~

MASTER:

~walks out onto the grass, looking over at the Doctor with a docile sort of mischievousness~ what did you expect? ~chuckles, walking around the TARDIS and out away from Kosh’s house, where the lights are on and presumably Kosh and Theta are inside~

DOCTOR:

You’d think that after spending god-knows-how-long with you I’d have learned how to expect this. ~easily follows the Master, not truly minding what would be considered by anyone else as a degrading act, wondering if that’s a bad thing~

MASTER:

~smiles in amusement, walking along through the grass and looking up at the swatch of stars in the sky~ good to know I can still be unpredictable.

DOCTOR:

I doubt that will ever change no matter how much time I spend with you. ~looks around, his eyes not really fixing on anything. Speaks again after a second of thought~ which is a bit ironic considering the fact that I just predicted for you to be unpredictable.

MASTER:

~chuckles, giving a gentle tug on the Doctor’s leash~ and you won’t stop being absolutely adorable. ~walks a little closer to the Doctor at a slow, casual stroll~

DOCTOR:

~smiles happily, clearly taking the potentially demeaning comment as a flattering compliment, matching the Master’s speed~

MASTER:

~looks around at the stars and the scenery in contented silence for a while~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a gentle breeze rustles the silver leaves of the forests~

MASTER:

Do we have any reason not to stay here? ~speaks quietly, seeming distant~

DOCTOR:

The Time War. ~his answer comes without a second thought~ I asked Kosh and Theta about the Daleks; recent rumor is that the High Council is getting concerned about the Daleks’ genocidal nature… I don’t know how it’s set to go in this universe and frankly I don’t really want to find out.

MASTER:

~looks as if he’s about to contradict the Doctor’s explanation, but after a moment of thought he nods in hesitant agreement~ …alright, I suppose that makes sense.

DOCTOR:

~thinks for a second~ though I guess, in the end, the question is would you rather risk going through the Time War again with the chance of keeping Gallifrey intact or risk a lifetime of testing in our universe?

MASTER:

~slows further and almost comes to a stop before working back up to the pace he was at before, watching his feet as they brush back and forth through the grass~ we’d be risking a lot to go through the War again… more than just ourselves. ~sighs~ so… it does seem best that we go back; our universe needs us more than this one does.

DOCTOR:

I wish I could warn them of what could happen… I’ve already messed up time enough for this universe. ~is careful not to stray too far from the Master as the other Timelord is still holding his leash~

MASTER:

This Gallifrey must never have gone into a time lock, though; since it’s still here. ~slows to a stop, turning to face the Doctor and looking up at him~

DOCTOR:

Dalek Sec got past the time lock… but that’s besides the point; maybe it doesn’t get bad enough to lock… maybe we win quickly or something.

MASTER:

~replies with a barely understandable mutter, glancing downward~ or maybe we lose… ~shakes his head slightly, looking up at the Doctor and giving a small, happy smile as if he just had an amusing thought~

DOCTOR:

~gives the Master a confused, curious look, having heard his comment and not seeing anything to smile about in it so figuring he must have thought of something else~

MASTER:

~slowly lets the Doctor’s leash slip out of his hand, suddenly grabbing hold of the Doctor’s shoulders and tackling him to the ground a little roughly, pinning him there with a playful grin as he crouches over the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~yells in exclamation, having not expected to be tackled to the ground at that moment and instinctively trying to get up before he realizes exactly what happened, stopping his struggling but finding himself recounting the dangerous items in his and the Master’s pockets—the medicine, the handcuffs, his knife, his stun gun… gives the Master an almost challenging smirk~

MASTER:

~seems satisfied with the Doctor’s reaction, letting up slightly at the Doctor’s struggling as if he’s not really trying to keep him pinned, though he grins victoriously and wraps his hands loosely around the Doctor’s neck~

DOCTOR:

~his grin fades away as he focuses more on being able to breathe, not yet attempting to stop the Master as he knows the blonde Timelord’s next action could be almost anything~

MASTER:

~looks confused, as his intentions were never truly hostile; lets his hands slip away from the Doctor’s neck and seems to not realize that he’s not holding the other Timelord down with as much force as before, making his hold easy to escape~

DOCTOR:

~is made rather curious by the Master’s odd, fluctuating behavior, noticing his looser grip but not getting up out of confused curiosity, instinctively thinking through possible actions~

MASTER:

~seems defeated, rolling off of the Doctor onto his back and looking up at the stars with a small pout~ you’re no fun.

DOCTOR:

Oh come on, Master, be fair. I can’t remember the last time you pinned me to the ground and wrapped your hands around my neck and it ended well for me… well, I can, but that’s because it’s in my first 50 years of memory.

MASTER:

~turns onto his side to face the Doctor, half-laying on top of him and caressing his neck again almost tauntingly~ you never know. ~pulls the Doctor into a gentle kiss~

DOCTOR:

~instantly partakes in the kiss, leaning into the Master instinctively, not shying away from the Master’s hand though part of him thinks that may have been a good idea~

MASTER:

~lets one of his hands come down to wrap around the Doctor’s waist as he slowly turns onto his back again, pulling the Doctor with him until he’s directly underneath the other Timelord, all without breaking the kiss~

DOCTOR:

~easily holds himself up so that his whole weight isn’t resting on the Master, careful not to break the kiss in the process. Softly runs his hand through the Master’s hair~

MASTER:

~breaks the kiss for air, tilting his head back slightly to lean into the Doctor’s hand as he pants lightly, smiling happily~

DOCTOR:

~pants slightly, planting a brief, almost playful kiss on the Master’s neck—which is exposed due to the Master’s reaction to his hand, grinning back at him~

MASTER:

~makes a small noise of surprise, bringing his head back to where it originally was and meeting the Doctor’s gaze almost challengingly, realizing the Doctor potentially has more control of the situation because of their changed position~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles lightly at the Master’s reaction, bringing his other hand over to gently caress his cheek, noticing the significance in their positions as well but also knowing that the Master has the capability to convince him to do almost anything~

MASTER:

~hums contentedly, letting his eyes close as he leans gently into the Doctor’s hand, smiling and figuring he can trust the Doctor with this level of control~

DOCTOR:

~leans back a little, resting his head on the Master’s chest while stroking his cheek with his thumb, finding the sound of the other Timelord’s heartbeat oddly reassuring despite the familiar pattern’s ominous past~

MASTER:

~looks up at the stars, sighing lightly with contentment and bringing his left hand down to softly comb his fingers through the Doctor’s hair. Holds his breath after a moment of silence as if he’s about to say something, but is hesitating for quite a long time~

DOCTOR:

~nuzzles the Master slightly, wanting to encourage him to say whatever’s on his mind without asking as he feels as if he shouldn’t push the Master to say whatever it is~

MASTER:

~sighs again, exasperated and seeming to forget about what he thought about saying, closing his eyes and continuing to softly run his hand through the Doctor’s hair~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, catching the Master’s exasperated tone and giving into his own curiosity, sounding almost irritated~ what?

MASTER:

What, what? ~speaks softly, seeming distant and unaffected by the Doctor’s irritated tone as if he’s innocently unaware of what the Doctor wants to know~

DOCTOR:

~his tone goes back to being calm though mildly impatient~ you seemed really thoughtful. ~looks up at the Master~ like you were about to say something.

MASTER:

~lifts his head up slightly in order to meet the Doctor’s gaze, somewhat hesitantly~ I was just… ~trails off, deciding to give up on making an excuse and letting his head fall back to the ground in defeat~ I’m worried… about going back. And… ~trails off half-heartedly~

DOCTOR:

~seems as if he’s about to say something to reassure the Master but looks uncertain, saying instead~ and…?

MASTER:

And… me; what I might do. ~stares upward, avoiding looking at the Doctor as he hesitantly continues~ i-it’s not exactly been… easy for me to do all this.

DOCTOR:

But you did it… ~gives a faint, encouraging smile~ and, thanks to you, we might actually be free soon. ~is a little confused by the Master’s statement, knowing that without the drums and Aperture his moral compass is as intact as it’ll ever get~

MASTER:

~closes his eyes and swallows almost nervously, carefully taking his time to choose the manner of his response~ I know, and that’s good; I just… I’m not sure if I actually want to be… “free”… just yet.

DOCTOR:

~is taken aback by the response, stopping himself from disagreeing on impulse and asking calmly~ what do you mean? ~combing the tips of his fingers through the Master’s hair reassuringly~

MASTER:

~grimaces slightly, seeming discomforted rather than reassured and speaking almost despairingly~ I… I mean I don’t want to leave Aperture entirely. ~continues to defend himself~ not that this, what we have right now is undesirable, no; I just don’t feel like… a prisoner anymore.

DOCTOR:

Well… I guess we could try again to find GLaDOS’ personality disk and put it into something less harmful… then Aperture and GLaDOS stay intact but we regain free will…

MASTER:

~replies quickly and with sudden confidence~ no; you see, Doctor, it’s worse than just liking GLaDOS or her facility… honestly, she’s been a cruel bitch to the both of us. ~brings his hands to either side of the Doctor’s face and makes him face forward, meeting his gaze with a small smile~ it’s about the science.

DOCTOR:

~seems to finally get fed up with this whole thing, speaking in a sort of calm frustration~ you mean the kind of “science” that is the reason that GLaDOS practically tortures us… or the kind of “science” that hundreds of humans _died_ because of?

MASTER:

~shrugs slightly~ aren’t they the same? ~replies casually, like he’s not discomforted at all by what he’s being asked~

DOCTOR:

~looks taken aback—almost disgusted—, pulling away from the Master’s hands and rolling off of him though still facing him~ so, the question is, what do you want to do if not actually use our one shot at escaping to escape?

MASTER:

~winces in distress, as if suddenly realizing the manner of his actions~ sorry… ~glances over at the Doctor~ I told you before… what I want doesn’t matter. I’m working with you, for what you want; and if I can’t do that then-… ~stops, looking away and lowering his voice~ well, that’s what I’m worried about.

DOCTOR:

~feels a little bad for backing off the way he did, bringing an arm over the Master in a little half-hug~ thank you.

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor again, still seeming distressed as he slowly turns onto his side and hesitantly snuggles up to the Doctor’s chest, as if unsure as to whether or not he’s welcome to do so~

DOCTOR:

~gives a faint, reassuring smile, hugging the Master just enough to make it clear that he’s perfectly happy with the Master’s snuggly change in proximity~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly and closes his eyes, resting his head on the Doctor’s chest as he speaks softly~ I’ll just… keep trying my best.

DOCTOR:

I know you will… and I know you have been. ~matches the Master’s soft tone~ and, no matter what happens, there will always be room for you in my TARDIS.

MASTER:

~wraps his arms around the Doctor’s neck, nestling closely to the other Timelord with a happy smile~ thank you.

DOCTOR:

~smiles back at the Master, letting his eyes close as he takes in everything, glad to have the Master there with him despite recent events~

MASTER:

~relaxes, remaining in contented silence for a while, and almost drifting off to sleep before a pair of footsteps brush through the grass nearby~

THETA:

~walks up to where they lay and pushes the grass aside~

KOSH:

~catches up to him~

THETA:

~curiously asks~ what’cha doing all the way out here?

DOCTOR:

~had been drifting off as well, looking up at Theta and Kosh and seeming drowsily taken off-guard~ oh; we were taking a walk but the Master tackled me and we ended up just laying here. ~purposefully leaves out the details, suddenly extremely conscious of the fact that he’s wearing his collar again~

THETA:

How boring. ~comments dismissively~

KOSH:

~peers around Theta and down at the other two Timelords, looking a mixture of uncomfortable and proud~

MASTER:

~rolls onto his back but not away from the Doctor~

KOSH:

A… walk? ~smiles slightly in amusement, obviously focused on the Doctor’s collar~

MASTER:

~laughs after realizing how even his younger self seems to have noticed the double-meaning~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles as well, realizing that his young parallel’s obliviousness mirrors his own~ guess I always did assume things had only one level of meaning. ~waits for Theta to get it though he knows that may just not happen~

THETA:

~is awkwardly silent for a moment as if he doesn’t know what the Doctor meant by his statement, shrugging it off and looking around at everyone in close proximity~ well, anyway, we came to ask if you wanted to join us-

KOSH:

~interrupts~ we snuck out, and we’re gonna go explore near the mountain. It’s got a great nighttime view from up there. ~looks over towards the line of trees, behind which is the mountain he’s talking about—a substantial journey, but the mountain itself is scattered with crevices and outcroppings that look fun to explore~

DOCTOR:

You see, this is when I feel obliged to act as a responsible adult… ~glances briefly at the mountain then looks at the Master, Kosh, and Theta~ who am I trying to fool? ~looks over at the Master expectantly~

THETA & KOSH:

~grin widely in response~

MASTER:

~gets to his feet, brushing himself off and smiling~ why not? ~looks down at the Doctor, prepared to help him up if his ankle presents any trouble~

THETA & KOSH:

~start making their way towards the forest, chasing each other aimlessly in order to do so without leaving the Doctor or the Master behind~

DOCTOR:

~manages to get up using mostly his arms and his right leg, stumbling slightly but catching himself with a mild grimace, smiling after he gets his balance back and starting toward the mountain with a thankful glance at the Master~ allons-y.

MASTER:

~follows at the Doctor’s pace~

THETA:

~comes round and walks a little ahead of the Doctor, looking back at him with a curious expression~ what’s that mean?

KOSH:

~walks along at the front of the group, though he’s a few yards ahead of the rest~

DOCTOR:

It’s French. For “let’s go.” ~smiles with enthusiasm~ but what’s _really_ fun is if you go somewhere with someone named “Alonso”; because then you can say “Allons-y Alonso!”

THETA:

~seems amused by this~

MASTER:

~chuckles and nudges the Doctor gently with his shoulder~ so have you ever met someone named Alonso, then?

DOCTOR:

~furrows his eyebrows slightly, working to remember~ yes. He was a nice guy! Helped me save a tour ship based ironically on the Titanic. It was supposed to be themed with human Christmas, but it was more than inaccurate… ~seems to delve into deeper thought, looking sad just for a second before shaking his head and smiling~ but yeah, Alonso was a huge help despite being shot in the arm. And I did get to say “allons-y Alonso.”

THETA:

~seems interested with the topic of humans, and looks like he’s about to ask something else~

KOSH:

~calls for him as they reach the edge of the forest~

THETA:

~runs up to Kosh, eagerly heading into the shade of the trees~

MASTER:

~notices the almost ominous darkness created by the forest, glancing over at the Doctor with a small mischievous smile, as he knows they’ll have to go through the get to the mountain~

DOCTOR:

I think I just introduced myself to the concept of humans… so much for not screwing up time more than I have. ~shrugs, growing a little uneasy at the dark forest and wondering exactly how dark it gets, becoming conscious of his leash again~

MASTER:

It could hardly be avoided. ~shrugs slightly as the forest darkens around them, looking over and noticing the Doctor’s uneasiness, asking teasingly~ want me to hold your hand?

DOCTOR:

~chuckles slightly, trying to sound confidently good-humored though he’s still visibly on edge. Stops trying so hard to hide it after a moment~ you act like it’s irrational to be afraid of the dark.

MASTER:

We’re on Gallifrey; you know what’s in the forests, it should be familiar. ~pauses a moment, looking ahead and finding it’s beginning to get difficult to rely on sight alone in order to locate Theta and Kosh~ that was a legitimate question, though; do you mind? ~adds nonchalantly~

DOCTOR:

Oh; not at all. ~smiles, easily finding the Master’s hand with his own. Realizes the action did make him calmer though he refuses to fully admit it to himself~ and a forest being Gallifreyan doesn’t make me feel any more at ease or any more like I know what’s there.

MASTER:

~smirks slightly, brushing his thumb against the back of the Doctor’s hand~ admit it, you’re scared of being with me in a dark place than the things that might be in this forest.

DOCTOR:

~hangs his head slightly~ w-well… even so, it’s still not irrational. ~pushes back thoughts about all of the ways the Master has used the darkness against him as they don’t help the situation~

MASTER:

~leans into the Doctor gently, giving him a little reassuring nuzzle on the cheek as he smiles~ it sure isn’t. But rest assured, I won’t do anything while we’ve got children to look out for… ~sniffs lightly~ speaking of which, we should probably catch up.

DOCTOR:

~quickens his step at the Master’s statement, smiling and realizing when the Master sniffs the air that over time he’s gotten more used to human norms than Timelord tendencies~

MASTER:

~easily keeps up with the Doctor, the forest dark enough now that avoiding trees is just barely manageable; though Kosh and Theta can be heard up ahead as they get closer~ how’s your ankle, by the way?

DOCTOR:

It’s alright… I mean, as good as can be expected. I’m pretty sure by now that there’s a fracture involved, so that’ll probably take a while to heal given the fact that there’s no way I’m letting it keep me from walking. I think the fact that the bullet was searing actually helped things as far as pain is concerned as I think it damaged my nerve cells in that area… which is really a bad thing and will likely hurt later but for now it’s a plus. ~realizes he has medically analyzed his ankle aloud~

MASTER:

That’s good. Oh; I just remembered, hold on a moment… ~lets go of the Doctor’s hand but hooks his arm around the Doctor’s instead, reaching over to his right hand and undoing the makeshift cast around his wrist~

DOCTOR:

~is confused for a second before he figures out what the Master’s doing~ oh yeah… I forgot about that. ~mentally tries to estimate how long it will take to have his ankle healed, realizing after a second that it depends entirely on what happens~

MASTER:

~pockets the bandage~ I just went and used Tav’s zero room. Sorry, you probably didn’t remember about it and I just forgot to mention it to you… though, it does rapid healing and makes the rules of the universe more flexible. ~goes back to holding the Doctor’s hand as he walks~

DOCTOR:

~it’s fine; we have more important things to worry about than my ankle. ~continues to walk through the forest with the Master, hearing Kosh and Theta occasionally~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the forest seems to be lightening up and thinning slightly~

KOSH:

~comes jogging up to the Doctor and the Master eagerly~ come on; we’re nearly there!

DOCTOR:

~smiles in excitement, picking up his pace though his step is still more careful than his usual brisk stride. Looks around at the thinning forest as he walks, memories from his childhood reviving themselves in his mind to block out others~

KOSH:

~grins and leads them out of the forest to the base of the mountain~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the mountain is only a few meters taller than the line of the trees, and seems to have plenty of handholds, making it perfect for climbing~

THETA:

~is sitting on a small outcropping a few feet off the ground, waving at the Doctor and the Master when they arrive~

DOCTOR:

~lets go of the Master’s hand when they get to the mountain’s base, glancing down at his ankle briefly before starting a fairly slow ascent up the wall, speeding up slightly when he gets more used to the process of climbing the mountain~

THETA:

~gets to his feet, sending a few pebbles falling to the ground below before continuing a confident ascent to the next ledge~

KOSH:

~also climbs up from further to the left of the mountain~

MASTER:

~remains on the ground and folds his arms, looking up at the Doctor and smirking slightly~

DOCTOR:

~his ankle only creates minor problems as he scales the wall though his leash does get caught on a rock after a moment, making him look down to carefully unhook it, realizing when he does so that the Master hasn't started climbing the mountain yet, yelling down to him~ you coming!?

MASTER:

~calls back up to him~ I’m busy enjoying the view. ~chuckles, stepping a little closer to the mountain though not beginning to climb just yet~ I’ll be up in a moment.

THETA:

~makes it up to the conveniently flat top of the mountain, crouching close to the ground with caution as he walks to the far edge and looks down~

DOCTOR:

~blushes faintly but noticeably, looking back at the mountain to continue his ascent, wondering if Kosh heard the exchange, knowing Theta’s far more interested in the adventure itself than anything else~

KOSH:

~is peering out of a small crevice in the side of the mountain that he’s able to fit comfortably into, chuckling at the conversation between the Doctor and the Master~

MASTER:

~waits a moment before easily ascending the mountain, carefully at first but feeling familiar with the process enough to speed up, reaching the Doctor’s elevation and slipping onto a nearby ledge where he crouches idly, looking down at the ground below~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t stop until he reaches the top, turning around and sitting on the edge of the flat top looking out across the stretch of forest they have to have crossed and up at the familiar arrays of stars, mentally trying to put a name to each one~

THETA:

~comes over to kneel down beside the Doctor, looking out at the pretty nighttime scene and speaking softly as he follows the Doctor’s eyes to the stars~ do you know all their names?

DOCTOR:

I used to… I can still put a name to most of them. Though, of course, the stars are a little different in this universe. ~looks from star to star as if tracing his journeys~ I’ve been to a lot of them, over time…

THETA:

~nods slightly, trying to follow the path of stars the Doctor’s making with his glances~ was it fun, then? Seeing all the stars…

KOSH:

~pulls himself up onto the ridge from the opposite side of the mountain with a small grunt of effort, looking over at Theta and the Doctor as he stands up and brushes himself off~ look at you both; head in the clouds, as always. ~seems amused~

DOCTOR:

You can’t say you _don’t_ want to see what’s out there. ~smiles over at Kosh, his enthusiasm over travel completely evident in his demeanor. Looks back at the sky~ and yes, Theta, it was… though I didn’t exactly follow the rules in any sense. ~chuckles slightly, starting to speak more to himself~ what I wouldn’t do to do that again…

THETA:

~smiles wistfully~ I want to go out there someday…

MASTER:

~stealthily peeks just over the edge of the ridge next to the Doctor, waiting a moment to be sure he wasn’t noticed before speaking suddenly but softly~ boo.

DOCTOR:

~flinches dramatically, having really not expected to hear the Master’s voice come from where it did and nearly losing his balance, realizing what had happened and laughing at himself~ _really,_ Master?

THETA & KOSH:

~Theta is startled by the Doctor’s sudden movement; Kosh giggles~

MASTER:

~looks considerably pleased with himself~ what? It was fun. ~folds his arms on the flat surface of the mountaintop~ I haven’t scared you like that in a while.

DOCTOR:

True. ~doesn’t seem to actually mind the Master’s jump scare, wondering if Theta will steal a TARDIS and run away, too~ when _was_ the last time you jump-scared me…?

MASTER:

That’s my point; I don’t remember. ~shrugs slightly, looking down to the right and shifting his feet over slightly, dropping down off the ledge he was standing on and barely managing to catch himself with his hands to keep himself from falling~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master, seeming just casually confused by his actions~ should I be concerned, or did you mean to do that?

MASTER:

Somewhat… ~strains to speak, a few pieces of rock falling to the base of the mountain from where they had broken off under the Master’s feet~

KOSH:

~comes over to look down at the Master~

MASTER:

~inches himself along the ledge, trying to find somewhere he can safely drop down or at least get a foothold~

DOCTOR:

~letting himself get a little worried, gets up and sits on his knees to reach down and offer to pull the Master up~ need a hand, then?

MASTER:

~finds a ledge about 15 feet down, figuring he has long fall boots but wondering if the ledge might break, hesitating a moment before looking up at the Doctor~ yeah, sure. ~scrapes at the wall with his feet, trying to give himself enough upward push to at least lift one hand up to take the Doctor’s~

DOCTOR:

~making sure he’s sturdily planted atop the mountain, leans down to try to get his hand where it can be reached more easily~

MASTER:

~reaches for the Doctor’s hand, pulling himself upward with his other hand and the Doctor’s help, climbing up onto the mountaintop~ thanks. ~a little out of breath, crawls further towards the center of the flat surface~

DOCTOR:

Any time. ~breathes a little deeply, sitting down in a more comfortable fashion, chuckling lightly after a second~ I’ve got to get used to crisis after crisis again.

KOSH:

You’re used to crises? ~asks warily, stepping out of the Master’s way while being cautious of the edge of the mountain~

MASTER:

~tries to sit cross-legged but his long-fall boots get in the way and he stands up instead~

DOCTOR:

~looks over at Kosh to answer his question~ oh, of course! If I didn’t run into crises, I wouldn’t end up saving people. Honestly, the universe would be boring if I didn’t have problem after problem… what’s the good without the bad?

THETA:

~answers the rhetorical question with enthusiasm~ nothing that good anymore, obviously.

MASTER:

~murmurs somewhat bitterly~ it’s just a bit frustrating when there’s a crisis you can do little to nothing about.

DOCTOR:

~gives an understanding yet encouraging smile, looking at the Master~ but we have a plan; nothing’s been able to keep us forever.

MASTER:

That’s not saying much—forever can only happen once. ~looks at his feet~

THETA & KOSH:

~remain silent out of interest in the Doctor and the Master’s exchange~

DOCTOR:

Don’t be so negative… sure, it’s worse than most if not all of our other encounters, but we’re two Timelords; I’m sure if nothing else we’ll outlive her, and worse comes to worst we _do_ have both UNIT and Torchwood at our command—though I don’t think UNIT would listen to you.

MASTER:

Sorry. ~his tone is neutral but sounds sincere, looking out over the trees and fields in the distance almost sadly~

DOCTOR:

It’s fine. It’s easy to expect the worst by now. ~looks down at the rocky cliff face, smiling slightly after a moment~ though, in the end, I’m glad we were forced to cooperate… otherwise I’m sure we’d still be fighting whenever we ran into each other. ~seems like he wants to say more but he leaves it at that~

MASTER:

~understands how the Doctor might have wanted to continue his statement, looking back at the Doctor with a small smile~ try not to tell me things like that. For both our sakes. ~looks back out at the scenery for a moment, turning around and running to the opposite end of the mountaintop and launching himself off the edge~

DOCTOR:

~nods at the Master’s statement, made panicked for just a second when the Master jumps off of the mountain before he remembers the long-fall boots, shaking his head and looking over the edge the Master leaped off of, muttering to the Master in such a way that the Master’s unable to hear~ don’t flipping scare me like that.

MASTER:

~lands cleanly, riding the impact into the first few strides of a run before turning around and grinning at the Doctor, giving him a quick thumbs-up~

THETA & KOSH:

~look over the ledge as well, Theta asking disbelievingly~ how did he do that?

DOCTOR:

~rolls his eyes at the Master’s actions though he’s smiling back at the Master~ Aperture tech. They’re long-fall boots, so as long as you land on your feet, you’re fine. They’ve certainly helped as far as survival is concerned.

THETA:

What sort of planet is Aperture on? ~sounds a mixture of interested and cautious, like he plans to avoid the planet in the future~

MASTER:

~turns on his heel and walks back into the forest~

DOCTOR:

Aperture, in my universe, is on one of my personal favourite planets… earth. It’s the origin planet of the humans; these brilliant creatures full of excellent potential that manage to survive to the end of time despite their short lifespans and fragility. Not to mention, home to some of my closest friends.

THETA:

Earth? ~stops to think for a while~ I haven’t heard of that one… or humans, until you told me.

KOSH:

~nudges the Doctor slightly, careful not to upset his balance~ should we have let the Master just run off?

DOCTOR:

~shrugs~ maybe it doesn’t even exist in this universe. ~looks out at the forest~ and no; it’s probably a horrible idea to just let him run off. He’s got time to think now and/or he’s waiting in the forest because my uneasiness amuses him. We wouldn’t have been able to climb down fast enough to stop him anyway.

THETA:

You didn’t even try, though. ~replies challengingly, turning to slide off of the ridge onto a ledge below, easily swinging himself around to another ledge and hopping down from rock to rock, using a slanted rock to slide the rest of the way down to the base of the mountain. The descent takes him less than ten seconds altogether, and he looks back up at the Doctor expectantly~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, following a path similar to Theta’s, seeming to take much more caution than his younger parallel—partially due to his ankle but partially just because he’s larger and doesn’t want anything to give out underneath him, speaking once he gets to the bottom~ I find that it generally ends better if I don’t try to stop him except in choice and/or drastic situations.

KOSH:

~follows them both down, taking a different route but still making it to the bottom before the Doctor~

THETA:

~looks up at the Doctor in confusion~ why not?

DOCTOR:

~thinks for a second on how to word an answer to Theta’s question~ because, when it comes to physical competition, he usually wins.

MASTER:

Really? I’m flattered. ~chimes in, stepping into view from where he was listening not too far into the forest, smiling mischievously~ I bet you could best me if you were really trying to. ~tilts his head to the side slightly, teasing~ you’re just too soft.

THETA:

~seems to be encouraging on a fight mentally, close enough to the Doctor for his thoughts to be vaguely understood~

DOCTOR:

Is that a challenge? ~grinning slightly, thinks through various advantages and disadvantages they both have and their previous encounters~ and if by “too soft” you mean I care too much; yeah, probably.

MASTER:

~grins back, confidently stepping forward but not leaving the forest entirely~ yes, it’s a challenge.

DOCTOR:

Then I accept. ~thinks about various ways to test strength, knowing his odds of winning in them vary~ so; goal? Rules? …stakes?

MASTER:

Most of that we can leave up to good judgement; I’d say rules are remaining in this general area and no foul play—though, the less strict the rules are the more fun this’ll be.

KOSH & THETA:

~decidedly keep their distance, however both of them look on with enraptured interest~

DOCTOR:

I think I’d count my stun gun, the handcuffs, my knife, and your drugs as foul play; but if you want to keep them in, of course, we can. What determines the winner, though? ~seems excitedly competitive~

MASTER:

~smirks~ whoever gives in. ~quickly strides up to the Doctor, taking hold of his leash and shortening it to half its original length~

DOCTOR:

~seems to be made only slightly discomforted by the Master’s actions, as if it’s pretty much normal~ as in? Honestly, that’s a pretty broad statement. Gives in to what? Whatever the other says? ~his nervousness is evident only in the quickness of his speech~

MASTER:

If that counted you would have lost a long time ago. ~speaking softly, brushes his left hand gently down one side of the Doctor’s face almost tauntingly~ no; like giving up.

DOCTOR:

~swallows, barely managing to keep eye-contact with the Master, managing to keep his voice mostly steady as he speaks~ well that’s still hardly definite. Giving up the competition? ~the thought makes his stomach churn—the two of them trying to get the other so down and fed up and done that they’d just quit~

MASTER:

Alright, do you have a better idea? ~drapes his left arm over the Doctor’s shoulders, leaning close to him; already starting out with using a tactic that gives the Doctor less reason to want to fight back, and starts him out with being in control~

DOCTOR:

No. ~knows this is part of the Master’s tactic, forcing himself to remain confident~ though I get the feeling neither of us are giving up easily.

MASTER:

I’m not so sure about that. ~taking care to bring up this doubt to try and hinder the Doctor’s ego, smirking as he brushes his nose gently against the Doctor’s, then steps back a few feet and yanks his leash~

DOCTOR:

~flinches at the pressure on his neck, looking almost as if he’s already defeated for a second before he smirks at the Master, stepping back into his leash’s range~ your only problem being how little you expect from me compared to how much I expect from you.

MASTER:

~seems interested for a moment, his grip on the Doctor’s leash loosening slightly as he speaks~ I have reason not to expect much from you. ~wants to seem unprepared, if for no other reason than to get things started off~

DOCTOR:

And I have reason to believe that’s a good thing, considering. ~continues strolling closer to the Master until they’re about a foot apart, not even trying to take advantage of the Master’s weakened grip on his leash~

MASTER:

~seems to be getting a little fed up with waiting for the Doctor to make a move after a few moments~ well then?

DOCTOR:

Well what? Is this chess or something where you made a move, so it’s my turn? ~grins, knowing how irritated the Master is~ isn’t the _point_ of this to make it less fun for the other side~

MASTER:

Damn you. ~swings his leg out and knocks the Doctor’s injured ankle out from under him, pushing him backwards at the same time and letting go of his leash so that the Doctor doesn’t injure his neck with the fall~

DOCTOR:

~instinctively tries to catch himself with his left leg, ending up just hurting himself more as his leg gives in the second his ankle feels the impact, grimacing when he hits the ground. Instantly tries to get up, failing at first as he seems to have managed to further injure his ankle~

MASTER:

~quickly swoops down to pin the Doctor to the ground, giving him a little victorious grin~ you won’t get the advantage of being underestimated if you don’t do anything.

DOCTOR:

~forces a slight grin~ I’ll get the satisfaction of knowing I irritated you, though… ~glances briefly in the direction he knows Kosh and Theta were in~ so much for not doing anything to me with them around, eh?

MASTER:

~frowns irritatedly, then looks up in the direction the Doctor had indicated, not paying attention to the Doctor for the moment~ they—well, this was agreed upon….

DOCTOR:

It’s fine; I know I always got annoyed when adults wouldn’t let me see or hear something when I was a kid anyway.

MASTER:

~looks back at the Doctor with a small glare, as if suddenly remembering what they were doing; wraps his hands around the Doctor’s neck threateningly~

DOCTOR:

~shrinks back on impulse, still smiling slightly, thinking through courses of action as well as the interesting difference between their approaches on things~

MASTER:

~seems to be becoming more and more annoyed as time goes on~ what are you even trying to test? ~half-snarls through his words, tightening his grip on the Doctor’s throat~

DOCTOR:

~frowns though he hardly looks intimidated~ maybe, for the first time in too long, no one’s trying to test anything… maybe I just still don’t want to hurt anyone.

MASTER:

I told you; too soft. ~smiles a little as he regains some of his pride~ you haven’t even tried to fight back… some might say that counts as giving up.

DOCTOR:

I didn’t know that actually caring about who I hurt means I’m giving up. ~glares at the Master~ though I’ve heard more than once that emotion makes me weaker and I’ve gotten pretty sick of that argument.

MASTER:

~sighs heavily with exasperation, his grip around the Doctor’s neck loosening as he lets himself collapse onto the Doctor in defeat, mumbling into his chest~ it’s like trying to move a brick wall…

DOCTOR:

~chuckles lightly though there’s still no way he can get up like this, bringing a hand up to run through the Master’s hair~ I’ve moved a brick wall once—well, technically I broke it.

MASTER:

~turns his head to the side but doesn’t try to move the Doctor’s hand away, giving a stubbornly indignant look~ that’s not my point.

DOCTOR:

I know it’s not. ~just lays where he is, not knowing what else he even can do from here, basically chilling on the ground by now~

MASTER:

~sighs again, his eyes drifting closed and showing no sign of wanting to get up~

KOSH:

~comes up to the two of them after a moment, looking down at the Doctor~ We’re going to go head back now; don’t want to be in trouble… just thought we’d warn you.

DOCTOR:

Okay. See you guys later then! ~waves to Theta and Kosh~ I’ll, uh, tell you if any winning or losing actually occurs.

KOSH:

Okay. ~smiles, waving back and heading off into the forest with Theta~

MASTER:

~seems quite relaxed and comfortable, in the process of falling asleep~

DOCTOR:

~gives up on the thought of getting up, wrapping his available arm around the Master and letting his eyes drift closed as he lets himself start to drift off as well~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly, faintly nuzzling the Doctor before eventually falling into a peaceful sleep~


	11. Return

MASTER:

~when he wakes up the suns are out in the sky again, and it looks about noontime; he drowsily looks around and folds his arms on the Doctor’s chest, hiding his face from the light~

DOCTOR:

~wakes up a moment later, groaning in complaint at the sunlight as he blinks drowsily and takes in his surroundings, taking a moment to recollect why he was sleeping on the ground, looking over at the Master~ good- ~quickly glances up at the suns to determine the time~ afternoon.

MASTER:

That… went on longer than I expected. ~rolls off of the Doctor, stretching out on his back before turning onto his side again to shield himself from the sun. Mumbles incoherently out of sleepy irritation~

DOCTOR:

~goes to get up, grimacing at the reawakened pain in his ankle but sitting up anyway, looking over his ankle to see what he can without removing the bandages~

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor, pulling himself into a sitting position as well and realizing what the Doctor’s doing~ oh; sorry about that.

DOCTOR:

Hm? ~looks over at the Master, his sleepiness making him take a second to process the Master’s statement~ oh, it’s fine; it wouldn’t have hurt if I hadn’t tried to catch myself with it.

MASTER:

~nods slightly and looks around at the trees, starting to fully wake up as he remembers their situation. Gets to his feet and brushes himself off, offering a hand to the Doctor~ need help?

DOCTOR:

~is about to deny help as he normally would, assessing the situation and taking the Master’s hand instead~ yeah, ~stands with the Master’s help~ thanks.

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor’s hand once he’s standing, looking over at the forest with a small sigh~ should we head back, then?

DOCTOR:

I guess so; there’s not much else to do here. ~starts towards the forest, managing to walk with only a slight limp~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor into the shade of the forest, looking around absentmindedly at the area, which is much more well-lit than it was last night~

DOCTOR:

~focuses on where he’s walking, careful not to trip on anything, speaking after a moment~ so… ~seeming to just dislike the silence, trying to come up with a random conversation starter but failing~

MASTER:

~walks beside the Doctor, not really acknowledging his attempt to start a conversation for a few moments, eventually speaking softly~ we should get ready to leave.

DOCTOR:

~sighs, nodding slightly~ yeah, you’re right… ~pauses in thought~ we should tell Theta and Kosh we’re leaving, and the sonic should be done and ready by now. We have a plan; I guess we just stick to it and go from there.

MASTER:

The might be at the Academy. It _is_ the middle of the day, after all. ~puts his hands in his pockets, finding the laser gun he had picked up earlier and gently feeling around it~

DOCTOR:

Eh, maybe. ~is significantly more comfortable with the forest than he had been last night as he can see even in the densest areas~

MASTER:

~stares blankly forward in thought, fiddling with the gun in his pocket and not continuing to talk as they proceed through the forest~

DOCTOR:

~lets his mind wander, keeping his thoughts away from what he’d prefer not to think about as he casually limps through the forest~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they exit a little closer to Kosh’s place than from where they entered~

MASTER:

~seems to perk up slightly compared to his demeanor while in the forest~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t seem to notice the change in the Master’s mood, absently walking toward the TARDISes and Kosh’s house~

THETA:

~is sitting by a window in Kosh’s house, looking bored; he notices the Doctor and the Master, and gets up to come outside, standing by the front door once he leaves the house as if hesitant to approach them himself~

DOCTOR:

~looks over at Theta, confused for a second before seeming to understand~ oh yeah; it would probably be a bit odd for Theta to go back to the Academy after being dead for two years…

MASTER:

~nudges the Doctor slightly, smirking~ I was right, though. ~walks off towards the Doctor’s TARDIS once they get close enough, gesturing in Theta’s direction~ I’ll set things up; you go talk to him.

DOCTOR:

Alright. ~waves slightly to the Master before walking over to Theta with a small limp, giving his younger parallel a friendly smile as he approaches him~ ‘ello.

THETA:

Hey. ~smiles back up at the Doctor~ Kosh’s mom said I shouldn’t go back to the Academy just yet… so I’m here by myself. ~looks down at the ground, seeming greatly disappointed~

DOCTOR:

Yeah, I always hate being alone… well, I guess you’d know that. It probably would raise suspicion, however, if you suddenly came back. Remember; you were dead for two years.

THETA:

Yes, I know. ~shrugs slightly, looking up at the Doctor again~ but you guys are here now… you stayed out there in the forest for a really long time; I thought you might’ve gotten lost or something.

DOCTOR:

No; we actually fell asleep and slept longer than we intended. We’re fine. ~thinks for a second, not really wanting to have to tell Theta they’re leaving him to be alone at the house~

THETA:

Is your ankle okay? ~glances down at the Doctor’s ankle, having noticed the Doctor’s limp when he was approaching. Seems slightly confused by the Doctor’s hesitant behavior but dismisses it~

DOCTOR:

Oh, that? Yeah, it’ll be fine. I was shot at one point before I came to this universe and I tried to catch myself with the wrong leg when I fell by the mountain. It’s part of the reason I couldn’t get up.

THETA:

~smiles a little, hesitating for a moment~ so… ~looks the Doctor up and down, noting his demeanor~ …is there something you want to tell me?

DOCTOR:

~sighs, nodding slightly~ Theta, the Master and I need to get back to our universe. I’d love to stay longer, but really, we shouldn’t put off what’s waiting for us much longer and we don’t really belong in this universe.

ENVIRONMNENT:

~the Doctor’s TARDIS powers down and the Master steps out a few moments later, heading towards Tav~

THETA:

~glances at his feet and looks a little let down~ oh… okay. ~meets the Doctor’s gaze, coming forward to give him a little hug~ bye then; and good luck.

DOCTOR:

~hugs Theta back, smiling though he’s on the verge of tears as he really, really doesn’t want to leave~ goodbye… and thanks; we’re going to need it. ~hesitantly turns to walk to Tav, making himself smile until he knows Theta can’t see his expression anymore~

THETA:

~lets the Doctor go without protest, after a few moments glumly heading back inside the house to do something by himself~

MASTER:

~leans casually on Tav’s door while waiting for the Doctor to reach him, eventually asking~ ready?

DOCTOR:

~sighs, nodding~ yeah; as ready as I’m going to get. ~looks at the Master, the fact that he doesn’t want to go more than evident, mentally greeting Tav~ oh! Was my sonic in my TARDIS?

MASTER:

Yes. ~presents the device—which has a newer design with a green light and extendable prongs—to the Doctor~

TAV:

~greets the Doctor back faintly, seeming focused~

DOCTOR:

~takes the new sonic, messing with the different settings and adaptions of the new design, gaining an almost childish smile as he does so, tossing it up and catching it once before putting it in his blue suit’s pocket and turning his attention back to the Master~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly and opens the door to his TARDIS, walking inside with a light sigh~ alright; I’ve got everything set up, and we’re ready to go.

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master, about to go lean on a rail but realizing that the default design doesn’t have one, walking over to the console instead as he’s not confident in his balance in relation to turbulence~ so; tow the TARDIS, let Tav recharge if need be and if possible, paradox GLaDOS, cut GLaDOS off.

MASTER:

Yes… though, heading back shouldn’t be much of a problem for Tav. ~sets coordinates and tweaks a few things on the console before placing his hand on the takeoff lever, hesitating~

DOCTOR:

~notices the Master’s hesitation, walking over to stand next to him but seeming to lose confidence in what he was about to say, just standing there and trying to act supportive though he lacks anything he wants to say~

MASTER:

~gives the Doctor a brief glance, pulling the lever and sending Tav into flight, remaining absently focused as he walks around the console and keeps her steady~

DOCTOR:

~leans on the console where he stands, thinking through the plan and how they’ll have to time everything for it to work, knowing that if this doesn’t work, things could get a lot worse~

MASTER:

~eventually gets Tav to land, checking to make sure the Doctor’s TARDIS is still in tow~

TARDIS:

~while the Master is looking things over the Doctor’s TARDIS suddenly powers back up and regains consciousness, which the Doctor is able to sense mentally~

DOCTOR:

~is visibly startled, looking at the Master, wide-eyed~ did you set the TARDIS to power back up? ~grows panicked as he finds no reason for the Master to have done so, running up to the doors and nearly falling due to his ankle~

MASTER:

~taken off-guard, quickly follows the Doctor out~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they’ve landed on the surface of a dark, marshy foreign planet where the TARDIS sits only a few yards away~

MASTER:

I—no I didn’t. ~starting to match the Doctor’s panic~

TARDIS:

~seems to be in considerable pain before her consciousness suddenly fades and dies away, her windows going dark~

DOCTOR:

No. Nonononononono. ~stumbles into the doors, opening them, looking into the console room in desperate search for even the faintest glow~

TARDIS:

~seems to be in some sort of low-power mode, yet her consciousness feels like it’s completely dead~

MASTER:

~comes up behind the Doctor and looks in~

DOCTOR:

She’s not there, Master, sh-she’s… ~swallows, seeming practically paralyzed, looking into the TARDIS. After a second his voice comes in an unstable, furious tone~ GLaDOS!? You still there, you metallic bitch!?

GLaDOS:

*As always.* ~she responds cheerily~

MASTER:

~looks sideways at the Doctor in distress, hesitant to ask what exactly the Doctor means~

DOCTOR:

H-here’s what you’re going to do: you, GLaDOS, are going to tell me my TARDIS is alive and well and restore her or so help me I will destroy you if I have to tear up entire swaths of space-time. ~the Doctor’s voice is relatively soft but his breathing is so unsteady he might as well be shaking~

MASTER:

~wraps an arm around the Doctor’s waist, trying to comfort him or at least calm him down~

GLaDOS:

*No; I’ll be doing the negotiating. How about this: both of you come inside, and I’ll restore her. Otherwise, I’ll let her die. It’s quite simple.*

DOCTOR:

~sighs shakily, noticing the Master’s gesture and trying to calm down, succeeding minimally and hesitantly stepping into his TARDIS, looking a mixture of desperate and infuriated~ alright… just… restore my TARDIS. ~stares at the floor in fury and defeat~

MASTER:

~hesitantly follows him inside, and the door closes behind him~

TARDIS:

~regains a faint sense of her consciousness, alive but not whole yet~

GLaDOS:

*And, you know what else I want.*

DOCTOR:

What. What, in the name of every higher being I’ve even heard of, does your demented, obsessed, robotic self want? ~his tone is bitter and laced with hatred~

GLaDOS:

*I’d like you to go run off to another parallel universe.* ~the statement is cheerfully sarcastic~ *I want you to come back, of course. To the facility.*

DOCTOR:

~glances over at the Master, hesitating before walking slowly toward the console, speaking in a defeated tone~ well, you know me; I try to be the best, but… my problem is, I always lie. ~emphasizes the paradox statement slightly, taking this last shot at going through with their plan~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly at the Doctor’s cleverly placed paradox~

GLaDOS:

~stammers at it for a moment, sounding like she’s trying to get some sort of insult in between her other words before her connection eventually cuts out~

MASTER:

…I honestly didn’t think that would work again. ~walks over to the console, quickly springing back into their plan~ at this point it doesn’t matter which TARDIS we take.

DOCTOR:

~smiles, happily dashing the rest of the way to the console~ we can get Tav later; it’s best not to risk her anyway. ~tries mentally to greet the TARDIS, hoping she’s entirely there by now, putting in the coordinates to GLaDOS’ mainframe and pulling the takeoff lever~

TARDIS:

~still seems barely conscious, and upset because of her inability to properly communicate with the Doctor, even though GLaDOS is gone for the time being~

MASTER:

~nods in agreement, trying to help out in flying the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~frowns at the TARDIS’ response, muttering~ we’ll figure it out. ~and letting his hands run along the rim and brush across controls on the console as he tries to reassure the TARDIS, thankful for the Master’s help as between his leg and trying to comfort the TARDIS he’s at half his usual speed~

MASTER:

~the TARDIS lands, and he quickly heads to the doors, opening them and looking out into the mainframe room, where GLaDOS already seem to be recovering from the paradox~

TARDIS:

~her controls render themselves useless, buts he seems to regain her whole consciousness~

GLaDOS:

~speaks to them from outside~ *You couldn’t just come back _without_ shutting me down?*

DOCTOR:

~laughs despite the situation, responding to GLaDOS easily~ we didn’t think it would work _twice!_ I was curious. You know, this statement is false. ~figures he’ll try for three—why not?~

GLaDOS:

*Yes, yes, good for you; you found something you can use against me. But it’s not going to work twice in the same five minutes.* ~she has a claw come down and into the TARDIS to retrieve the Doctor, lifintg him off the ground slightly and bringing him outside of the TARDIS to set him down gently on his feet~

MASTER:

~simply walks out and closes the door behind him~

DOCTOR:

~shrugs~ you can’t blame me for trying. ~glares at the claw distrustingly, wondering if it was at all necessary for Her to carry from out of the TARDIS though he’s glad she didn’t decide to throw him at the wall again~

GLaDOS:

*So, welcome back. Which probably doesn’t correspond with the feeling of being welcome, I know.* ~the claw lets go of the Doctor and moves up to latch onto the TARDIS, lifting her up and over to a portal in the floor, where she’s dropped in and the portal closes shortly after~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, looking up at GLaDOS~ I wish I could say I was glad to be back… ~furrows his eyebrows for a second, shaking his head~ sorry; I think I’ve said that before.

MASTER:

You have. ~quietly confirms, focused on GLaDOS~

GLaDOS:

~she comes a little closer to the two of them as she continues to speak~ *I wish I could trust you to cooperate, but… why pass up an opportunity to use some of that revised neurotoxin I made?*

DOCTOR:

~sits down before the neurotoxin fills the room as to not injure his ankle in another fall, letting the searing pain and proceeding unconsciousness take hold~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when the Doctor comes to, he’s curled up in a glass cylinder that’s slightly smaller than the size of a one-person Aperture elevator; outside is a plain, square white room with one blurry-windowed observation deck up close to the ceiling. His clothes have been switched out for the standard orange Aperture jumpsuit, except for his collar, which doesn’t have a lead anymore~

DOCTOR:

~blinks his eyes open, using the close wall to get to his feet with only a little difficulty, looking for activity in the square room around him and finding the fact that he got to keep the collar minorly amusing before he realizes GLaDOS could filter anything into this cylinder and his attention becomes entirely focused on the test~

GLaDOS:

*Hello. Any comments or concerns before we begin the test?*

DOCTOR:

~looks up~ well, plenty of concerns, yeah; but none you care about, so go ahead and start the test.

GLaDOS:

*I never said I didn’t care about your concerns.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~(safe)water starts to flow in from the bottom of the cylinder, beginning to fill up the room and not taking too long to submerge the Doctor’s bare feet~

GLaDOS:

*Feel free to tell me; you’ve got some time.*

DOCTOR:

Okay, well, my main concern right now is whether or not I’m about to drown but _before_ you started filling this with water it was as usual; the TARDIS, the Master, etcetera. ~watches the water rise~ I do generally worry too much.

GLaDOS:

*I’m taking good care of the TARDIS, if it’s any consolation.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~the water’s risen to the Doctor’s waist by now~

GLaDOS:

*As for the Master; he’s not too far away.*

DOCTOR:

~glances up at the observation deck, leaning on the wall~ so you _do_ intend to drown me. ~speaks in a sort of matter-of-fact tone, deciding he won’t panic until it’s instinct~ thanks for the reassurance, anyway.

GLaDOS:

*What made you think that?* ~being sarcastic~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the water reaches the Doctor’s chest and is continuing up to his neck~

DOCTOR:

~keeps himself breathing as long as he can, as calm as possible for one who’s about to drown~ I do wonder what this test is _for._ Beyond “science”, that is.

GLaDOS:

*There’s not much else that testing is for beyond science.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~the water rises past the Doctor’s head, but the whole of the cylinder hasn’t been filled up yet~

DOCTOR:

~swims up to keep his head above the surface or at least his nose, stopping his banter with GLaDOS, finding swimming and treading water in such a small tube with a broken ankle rather difficult and using his arms on the sides of the cylinder to keep himself up after a second~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the water fills the tube completely, leaving the Doctor no air left to breathe except for what he already has in his lungs~

DOCTOR:

~holds his breath as long as he can, slowly releasing air through his nose until he runs out and his body forces him to gasp in water, the liquid filling his lungs and making him instinctively try to reach air, resulting in him scraping at the walls and struggling and gasping for air and getting only water in return until he blacks out~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Doctor wakes up again in the same glass tube, with the water having been drained out from it~

GLaDOS:

*You recovered from that quite well, it seems… and your lung capacity is remarkably better than an average human’s. I’d say this is going well so far.*

DOCTOR:

~coughs up some of the water, getting up again and leaning on the wall, just breathing deeply for a couple seconds just for the feeling of air in his lungs~ well I could have told you that! I _am_ an actual _doctor;_ that’s not just my name. Yeah, yeah, you don’t have to say it; taking my word for it isn’t science.

GLaDOS:

*Good; you’re starting to get it.* ~sounds unsettlingly prideful~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the small room begins to fill with water again, and this time it’s rising faster~

DOCTOR:

~watches the water rise, not eager to drown again as he can still feel a bit of water in his lungs from last time, tapping the wall to estimate its thickness and finding there’s no way he’s getting out like this, not bothering to ask why She’s doing this again as he knows the standard scientific process~

GLaDOS:

*This is the last time, unless you do anything differently; in which case we’ll keep at it until you get it right.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~the water takes about half the amount of time it did previously to reach the Doctor’s neck~

DOCTOR:

“Right”? You mean consistently? ~once the water gets over his head the Doctor uses the walls to keep him breathing as long as possible, soon enough struggling for air that isn’t there and passing out~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~this time the column of glass is gone when the Doctor wakes up, like it retracted into the floor~

GLaDOS:

~speaks as soon as it’s evident that the Doctor’s become conscious again~ *Yes; that was fine.*

DOCTOR:

Okay… ~coughs up a more considerable amount of water, getting up afterward with a look of distaste~ what now? ~walks to be just a couple feet from where the cylinder had been, not seeing reason to walk around much at the moment~

GLaDOS:

*I’ll get back to you when I can.* ~her connection ends shortly after a few panels in the corner of the wall to the Doctor’s left slide back and replace themselves~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a room is revealed, that at first glance seems to have the same dimensions as the Doctor’s~

DOCTOR:

~walks towards the other room, finding no reason to stay in his initial room, wishing there wasn’t so much water in his stomach and lungs and hoping the Master or at least someone to talk to is in the other room~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the second room is identical to the Doctor’s, except for the fact that the glass cylinder is still there~

MASTER:

~is curled up inside, either asleep or unconscious but looking just as drenched as the Doctor is~

DOCTOR:

~walks over to the Master’s cylinder, sitting and leaning back on it~ you too, huh? ~knows the Master may or may not be able to hear him depending on the glass and whether or not he’s conscious~

MASTER:

~stirs after a minute or so, coughing up water and not noticing the Doctor at first; the glass blocks some sound but not all, most likely allowing for a conversation to be had through it~

DOCTOR:

~notices the movement and turns so he’s sitting next to the cylinder rather than with his back to it, looking over at the Master~ how’re you holding up?

MASTER:

~panting for air for a moment, leans back on the glass wall so that he’s facing the Doctor~ I… how’d you get here? ~doesn’t have time to ask anything more detailed, because the small room is starting to fill itself up with water again and he scrambles to his feet out of panic and surprise~

DOCTOR:

I was in the room next to this one. ~gestures to the opened panels, looking at the water as if also confused~ how many times have you been drowned?

MASTER:

U-um… ~is staring down at the water as it rises to his knees~ three, I think.

DOCTOR:

Three!? ~looks at the Master in disbelief before remembering what GLaDOS said~ have you not done it the same way twice?

MASTER:

I’m pretty sure they were all the same-! ~his voice is unsteady; the water gets to his waist and he takes a deep breath, crouching down and submerging himself in the water~

DOCTOR:

~looks down at the ground next to him, not wanting to watch the Master drown~ I only got drowned twice… she said I did it right and something about doing the same thing twice. ~knows there’s a low chance that the Master can hear him underwater~

MASTER:

~starting to suffocate before the column even finishes filling up, scraping at the walls but forcing himself to remain at the bottom, where he gasps uselessly for air until he eventually blacks out~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the water starts to come back down just as it stops going up~

DOCTOR:

So; he’s unconscious, there’s no reason to not tell me why you _keep_ drowning him. ~is looking up at the ceiling to speak to GLaDOS as if still not wanting to look into the cylinder~ so why?

GLaDOS:

*It’s… not me. This particular system is either broken or rigged. I’m honestly trying to fix it.* ~sounds genuinely concerned~ *I let you come in because I figured you’d try to get him out in some way.*

MASTER:

~chokes out more water, his coughing sounding almost desperate~

DOCTOR:

What am I supposed to do, kick the glass to break it? My ankle’s broken, in case you were uninformed. ~sighs~ would you give me my sonic screwdriver—it was in my suit—long enough for me to fix this? I’ll hand it back over easily if you want me to.

GLaDOS:

*Of course.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~a panel on the far wall moves up slightly, and a cord slithers in, unwrapping itself from the screwdriver and tentatively rolling it towards the Doctor before leaving the way it came~

MASTER:

~seems to be struggling to breathe, as the cylinder starts filling up with water again~

DOCTOR:

~grabs the sonic, instantly turning around and pointing it at the tank, pressing the button and creating a rather high frequency noise that shatters the glass~

MASTER:

~curls up to shield himself from the falling shards of glass, although most of them fall outward~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the water that was in the tank runs out onto the floor and drains through the cracks between the panels~

MASTER:

~shivers and continues to cough up water~

DOCTOR:

~starts toward the Master, realizing he’s barefoot and there are shards of glass surrounding the Master and stopping himself~ I probably _could_ have fixed it; but that would take longer.

GLaDOS:

*It’s my own fault for asking you to help. Here, I’ll clean this up for you.* ~the floor panels around the Master tilt slightly to let the shards of glass fall down in between, setting back into place after the glass has been cleared away~

DOCTOR:

~rolls his eyes, biting back a sarcastic comment and walking over to the Master now that he can do so~ thanks for letting me use the sonic to get him out of there, anyway.

GLaDOS:

*There’s no need to thank me; you know it wasn’t for your sake.*

MASTER:

~stays curled up where he is, seeming to be having difficulty with getting enough of the water out of his system~

DOCTOR:

Alright; it’s easier not to anyway. ~hits the Master’s back systematically to help him reject the water, looking worried though that’s nothing new~

MASTER:

~coughs up the rest of it, taking a deep breath of air and letting himself fall back onto his side, relaxing out of relief as he just breathes normally for a few moments~

DOCTOR:

~sighs in relief, knowing it’s not going to last long as She’s probably going to want him back in the room he was in initially~

MASTER:

~looks up at the Doctor, his voice raspy~ thanks. ~coughs a few times, just to clear his throat~

DOCTOR:

No problem. I’d say “any time” but I’m hoping that’s not necessary. ~wonders what’ snext as far as testing is concerned~

MASTER:

~nods slightly, getting up onto his hands and knees and his hands get minorly cut on a few stray shards of glass, pushing himself to his feet and looking around~ she’ll probably want to take the screwdriver back.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the doorway to the other room closes itself off as he speaks~

DOCTOR:

Probably; I did tell Her I’d give it back if she wanted me to… I also said I’d _fix_ the test, though. ~chuckles slightly, noticing the closing off of the path to the other room~ no, I’ll give it back if She wants. The alternative being Her taking it back.

GLaDOS:

*Yes, please. I do want it back.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~the cord that had delivered the screwdriver comes back out from under the panel, stopping next to the Doctor expectantly~

DOCTOR:

~sets the sonic on the cord to allow it to easily coil around the device and take it away, finding the black slithering object a lot friendlier looking when it’s not trying to threaten anyone~

CORD:

~wraps itself around the sonic and retaliates, the panel it came from settling back into place~

MASTER:

~walks over to the closest wall and leans on it, searching through the pockets of his jumpsuit to see if he has anything in his possession; looks up at the Doctor again, noticing he’s still wearing the collar and giving an amused smile~ you got to keep the collar?

DOCTOR:

Apparently, yes. ~chuckles slightly, remembering when he first stepped out of the TARDIS with the collar on and GLaDOS said it suited him~ I guess She decided it can’t get in the way of testing if I can’t even remove it myself.

MASTER:

~finds something in his right pocket, looking down as he pulls out the pair of handcuffs and chuckles~ I have to say, She’s been acting more human lately and it’s made her nicer to us. At least, by comparison.

DOCTOR:

Yeah- ~notices the handcuffs, laughing now~ sorry, it’s just that those were in _my_ pockets when we passed out.

MASTER:

I know. ~smiles in amusement, putting the handcuffs back and leaning back on the wall~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room feels a little colder than it was before~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t seem to really notice the change in temperature yet though they’re both drenched in water~ so, what do you think the test is? Like, has it started, or…?

MASTER:

~lifts his head slightly, looking around~ most likely… I’d assume the drowning is done and over with, thankfully…

ENVIRONMENT:

~the temperature rises instead, the room becoming noticeably warm~

DOCTOR:

~noticing the temperature change, thinks for a second before speaking~ do you think she’s going to test out capacity to handle one extreme after another?

MASTER:

~grimaces slightly~ it would make sense.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room continues to get uncomfortably warm~

DOCTOR:

So drowning, heat… cold, probably… ~sits and leans against the nearest wall~ most likely all until we pass out.

MASTER:

~sinks to the ground, speaking sarcastically~ sounds lovely. ~waits a moment, fidgeting slightly~ at least the water is likely to evaporate.

DOCTOR:

Yeah; and replaced with our sweat. ~looking up at the ceiling~ so; do you think we’re going to pass out from heat or dehydration first?

MASTER:

Probably the heat; I doubt you didn’t swallow water while drowning. ~closes his eyes, trying to keep his posture open so he doesn’t end up conserving more body heat~ she’s ordered them strategically, it seems.

DOCTOR:

True. ~lets himself relax, part of him wishing he’d just pass out before the heat gets too bad but knowing that that’s not how it works~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the temperature rises at a seemingly faster rate now~

MASTER:

~looks like he’s really starting to be affected by it~

GLaDOS:

*Alright, I’m calling this off. I don’t want to end up cooking you both, which is what it feels like I’m doing.* ~the panels move apart from each other slightly, allowing for the hot air to escape the room~

DOCTOR:

~sighs in relief, not about to tell GLaDOS that they’d either pass out or regenerate before she could cook them, nodding slightly in thanks rather than saying it, looking over at the Master~ you alright?

MASTER:

~nods slightly, taking a moment to recover from the heat~ yeah. I’m fine. ~stands up again~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room comes back to its original temperature and the panels move back, but the temperature continues to drop~

DOCTOR:

~almost immediately notices the temperature’s continuing to drop, compacting himself into a ball to conserve heat though the cool is refreshing for now~

MASTER:

~walks once around the space where the pillar of glass used to be, coming back to the Doctor to sit down next to him, shivering slightly~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room’s temperature drops to sub-zero degrees Celsius~

DOCTOR:

~shivers as well, finding his own body heat is growing less and less helpful against the cold~ d-do people even pass out in the c-cold anyway?

MASTER:

~moves himself closer to the Doctor, curling up and leaning into him with the intention of sharing body heat~ probably—I guess—we’ll find out, eventually.

DOCTOR:

Unless She decides she’d rather not freeze us. ~leans back into the Master, thinking for a second~ those handcuffs don’t happen to be made of that—that metal that when you strike two of it together you get a spark. I forget the name.

MASTER:

Steel? ~reaches into his pocket and takes out the handcuffs, dropping them on the ground since the metal is freezing~ I d-doubt you’d be able to make any sort of fire, if that’s what you’re… trying to do.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room is now presumably approaching the negative-hundreds~

DOCTOR:

Yeah; th-the friction probably wouldn’t g-generate enough heat… ~curls into a tigher ball, leaning into the Master a little more, shivering~ it was just a th-thought.

MASTER:

~closes his eyes, feeling like he’s unable to move even if he wanted to as he shivers, the small movement not sufficient enough to keep him from going unconscious due to the extreme cold~

DOCTOR:

~knows the Master passed out as he’s all too familiar with how someone else going limp feels, closing his eyes. With that thought, the Doctor goes unconscious as well~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when the Doctor wakes back up he’s lying in a warm bed, with the covers tucked around him in such a way that conserves heat. The room he’s in is very similar to the one they had seen in the beginning of the Portal 2 game, and is a comfortably warm temperature—probably to help with recovery from the cold~

DOCTOR:

~smiles slightly, letting himself just appreciate the comfortable situation for a second before speaking from where he lay~ Master? ~expecting for either the Master or GLaDOS to clarify his location and condition~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Master doesn’t seem to be in the room~

GLaDOS:

~responds~ *Good morning. I’ve had you here for a few hours, in case you wanted to know.*

DOCTOR:

Okay… ~finds he doesn’t particularly want to leave the bed, asking~ so, where’s the Master?

GLaDOS:

*He’s busy; there’s a lot to do.* ~being vague on purpose~ *You, on the other hand, can just go right back to sleep.* ~as she talks the room fills with an invisible gas that has anesthetic properties~

DOCTOR:

But why should… I not… help… ~goes unconscious before he can really finish his question let alone receive an answer~

~•~

DOCTOR:

~wakes up again, with the vague understanding that something important or surprising has happened~

ENVIRONMENT:

~he’s not in the bedroom anymore, but rather the dead-end of a short hallway that turns to the left and branches off into many different paths, like a maze. Something about his surroundings feels surreal, and out-of-place for some reason~

DOCTOR:

~gets up, recalling GLaDOS’ last statements after a moment and walking down the hall and looking to the left to see the paths, a fairly negative memory of another maze-like test being vaguely recollected in his mind as he decides to start with the path furthest to the right, walking down it, glancing around warily and trying to find some explanation for this~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when the Doctor starts walking, it becomes clear that his ankle doesn’t hurt anymore, and is presumably healed or at least better than before. The path the Doctor chooses involves a lot of twists and turns and dead ends, but nothing dangerous~

DOCTOR:

~notices his ankle, getting confused by the non-hostile silence that makes the maze almost blissful, keeping the wall to his left systematically and speaking almost hesitantly~ hello?

ENVIRONMENT:

~no one answers; but as the Doctor gets deeper into the maze the scent of another Timelord becomes prominent in the hallways, most likely the Master~

DOCTOR:

~recognizes the scent immediately, wanting to follow it but not wanting to break his system, continuing and figuring he’ll run into the other Timelord on his way~

ENVIRONMENT:

~as the Doctor walks past another hallway to his left, the scent becomes strong enough that it seems like the Master should be right next to him, but there’s no one in the hallway~

DOCTOR:

~gets rather confused and even disoriented by the fact, glancing around him and even at the ceiling, continuing down the hall at a cautious pace once he finds nothing~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the scent stays prominent for a good while, until the Doctor makes a turn to the right, after which it starts fading and becoming less obvious~

DOCTOR:

~keeps going by his systematic approach, trying not to let the fact that it seemed like the Master should have been there distract him~

ENVIRONMENT:

~suddenly the whole hallway tilts backwards slightly, gravity moving the Doctor a few steps in the direction he had just come from~

DOCTOR:

What the-… Does the maze want to help me or stop me… ~thinks for a second, deciding to trust the maze as an ally and go back and turn to go straight where he had turned right~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the maze levels itself out; the different hallway turns to the left at its end, where a source of slightly brighter light is coming from~

DOCTOR:

~turns the corner a little hesitantly, having found this whole thing rather disorienting and hoping the light is the end of the maze~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Doctor walks out onto the floor of what looks like an office, an empty coffee mug that’s approximately the height of the Doctor’s shoulders sitting beside the doorless exit of the maze~

MASTER:

~now many times the Doctor’s size, is lying on the ground in front of the exit, arms folded as he watches the Doctor come out with a smile~ Hello. How are you feeling?

DOCTOR:

~looks between the mug and the Master, letting himself take in what happened before responding to the Master’s question~ disoriented as all hell but other than that, great.

MASTER:

~chuckles in amusement, sitting up and bringing his knees underneath him before reaching out to the Doctor, being careful when he wraps his hand around the Doctor and gently picks him up, cupping his hands together underneath the other Timelord~ awh…

DOCTOR:

~scowls indignantly, trying to keep his balance though whenever the Master’s hands move at all it feels like a small earthquake~ this explains a lot as far as the maze is concerned.

MASTER:

~gets the Doctor in his left hand, pinning the Doctor’s chest down with his thumb as his other hand gently lifts up the Doctor’s left arm, faintly pressing the tip of his finger into the Doctor’s palm~ remarkable… ~softly feels the other Timelord’s delicately small fingers~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, letting the Master go about what he’s doing without much choice~ so, how’d you, or Her, or both of you manage to shrink me?

MASTER:

I’m not sure. It involved some sort of new device She’s made but you were asleep at the time, and I wasn’t really there to see what happened. ~lets go of the Doctor’s hand, petting the Doctor’s head with a few fingers, smiling in amusement at the extremely messed up hair it results in~

DOCTOR:

I did notice the fact that I passed out… before I did, she said something about how there’s a lot to do and how you were “busy” so I thought you might know. ~doesn’t bother trying to fix his hair~

MASTER:

~shrugs slightly, wrapping both hands around the Doctor as he purposefully falls to the side, turning onto his back in the process and gently setting the Doctor down on his chest~ at that point I was probably demanding to review and reassess this experiment She was going to do on you.

DOCTOR:

~grips the Master’s finger when he falls to the side, the movement much more drastic in relation to him than the Master, letting go when the Master sets him down~ thanks for that, then.

MASTER:

~brings his arms behind his head, smiling up at the Doctor as he moves up and down slightly with the Master’s breathing~ aren’t you just adorable.

DOCTOR:

~smiles back at the Master, sitting down on his chest~ honestly, I think this might end up being fun! Very hard to get used to, at least for me, but fun!

MASTER:

I’m not exactly sure if, when, and how we’d be able to get you back, so I suppose we have to get used to it. ~brings a hand up to the Doctor, just feeling his chest with his finger for a moment before unzipping the Doctor’s jumpsuit halfway~

DOCTOR:

Guess so. ~gets just minorly confused about what the Master’s doing, deciding to just let him do it. Thinks about the various differences in daily activity that his new size will cause~ oh! I thought you might want to know; my ankle’s better! I think it has something to do with how She shrunk me or something…

MASTER:

That’s great! ~leaving the Doctor’s jumpsuit half-open, slowly turns onto his side so that the Doctor slides off of his chest rather than falls; wraps his arms loosely around the Doctor, allowing for him to crawl out of the space between his arm and his chest if the Doctor wants to~

DOCTOR:

~slides down off of the Master’s chest easily. Smiles when the Master wraps his arms around him, almost entirely engulfed by the Master’s arms, relaxing happily in them~

MASTER:

~chuckles after a moment, looking thoughtfully amused~ it feels like I’m holding a doll.

DOCTOR:

~peeks up at the Master, chuckling as well as he can’t protest the most likely entirely true statement~ things have felt pretty surreal to me since I woke up in the maze.

MASTER:

Well, the maze itself was put together to fit your size. ~tightens his hold slightly, his arms wrapped snugly around the Doctor and now preventing him from slipping away easily~ I think it was GLaDOS’ way of making fun of how small you are.

DOCTOR:

~chuckles at the statement~ yeah, probably. Especially considering the fact that going through a maze is a test frequently run on mice and rats on Earth.

MASTER:

You didn’t do very well on it. ~smiles in amusement~ you had to have known I was there, but you kept going the other direction.

DOCTOR:

I thought I was normal size, so it felt like you should be standing right there next to me; it was so disorienting that I ignored it.

MASTER:

~unwraps his arms from the Doctor, getting to his feet and walking over to the maze while being careful to avoid the Doctor, picking up the maze off the ground and holding the structure with both hands~ I think I ruined any test results that could’ve occurred from this because I went and helped you get out.

DOCTOR:

Eh, screw it. She can live with one less test result. ~stands up, walking over~ I was just going to systematically get through the maze like one would a corn maze. I disregarded your scent because it didn’t make sense at the time.

MASTER:

~shrugs, clearing a space on a nearby desk and setting the maze there. Turns back around and crouches down to the Doctor, holding out his hand~ want a ride?

DOCTOR:

Sure. ~gets up onto the Master’s hand~ it’s probably better than trying to keep up. How long’s my stride; an inch?

MASTER:

Probably. ~picks the Doctor up, having his other hand close by in case the Doctor needs something to hold on to and steady himself with. Stands up and looks around the office, which is pretty tidy and clean compared to the others they’ve seen~ I actually don’t know if we have a scientific goal at the moment.

DOCTOR:

Really? _That’s_ a first; usually there is one and it’s obvious. ~thinks for a second~ She’s probably never tested anyone of my size before; she might be _making_ a test.

GLaDOS:

*Oh, of course I have. Do you think I’d perform something like this on you without having testing others before?*

MASTER:

~shrugs slightly, bringing the Doctor closer to himself and asking~ pocket or shoulder?

DOCTOR:

~responds to GLaDOS~ guess you have a point there, though I don’t know whether to be thankful I’m not the first for it to be tested on or feel bad for those who had to test your prototypes. ~turns to the Master to answer his question~ uhm… shoulder, I guess.

MASTER:

~brings his hand up to his shoulder so that the Doctor can climb out onto it~

GLaDOS:

*As for the goal; I’ve left you two in a conglomeration of different rooms, and I’ll let you out when I’ve found something else for you to do. So there’s really no concrete goal.*

DOCTOR:

~climbs onto the Master’s shoulder, sitting on it and gripping the fabric of the Master’s jumpsuit, not knowing what to expect of anything right now~ so; should we explore a bit, then?

MASTER:

Sure. ~smiles over at the Doctor~ try not to fall. ~takes a few steps forward, after a moment walking at a normal pace toward the end of the room, where a sliding door is~

DOCTOR:

~smiles back, speaking sarcastically in response to the Master’s request~ no; I was going to _try_ and fall off! To me, right now, it’s like sitting on a moving 10-story building… I’m lucky I’m not afraid of heights. ~manages to keep himself on the Master’s shoulder and reasonably well-balanced~

MASTER:

~laughs lightly~ I’m finally taller than you, Doctor.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door slides open when the Master comes to it, but there’s another wooden door right behind it; he opens it and walks into a room that looks the same as the one the Doctor had been in before being shrunk~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles at the statement, looking around the room when they walk into it~ wait; was I literally in this room, or are there a lot of these? Because this looks exactly like the room I woke up in after we passed out from the cold.

MASTER:

You got a room? ~sounding surprised and a little bitter, walks further into the room and looks around at the tousled bedsheets, the drawers, the closet and the painting~

DOCTOR:

I was unconscious for the majority of the time I was in the room… I mean, it was comfortable for the two minutes I could see it. ~looks around from his perch on the Master’s shoulder~

MASTER:

~looks through the empty drawers and takes a curious peek into the mini-fridge, trying not to lean down too much and upset the Doctor’s balance; finds a few plain containers labeled “WATER” and “BEANS.” Closes the fridge and walks over to the bed, sitting down with a small sigh~

DOCTOR:

~looks over at the Master, finding his demeanor a bit off. Is silent for a second before asking~ what’s on your mind?

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor, as if startled by the question~ what? Nothing—really, I’m just a bit tired I suppose. I’ve been busy.

DOCTOR:

So I heard. ~pauses for a second thoughtfully~ fair enough… we can take a nap if you want; She doesn’t seem to need us right now and who knows when that’ll happen again.

MASTER:

~smiling, offers out his hand for the Doctor to come off of his shoulder~ I’d like that.

DOCTOR:

Wait, I want to try something. ~goes to the edge of the Master’s shoulder, sliding down his arm as slowly as he can make himself—which isn’t too slow given he can’t even reach all the way around the Master’s arm—, successfully plopping down onto the bed~ and I’m alive! Which means that worked!

MASTER:

~chuckles~ having fun? ~pulls his legs up onto the bed, being careful to avoid the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~scurries over to the pillow, standing next to it to let the Master lay down without having to worry about laying on him~ yes, actually.

MASTER:

~lies down, fixing the bedsheets and pulling them over himself, turning onto his side to face the Doctor with a small, drowsy smile~

DOCTOR:

~smiles back, going over to the Master and laying down, snuggling up to the Master’s shoulder~

MASTER:

~lets his eyes close, bringing his left arm gently around the Doctor as he drifts off to sleep~

DOCTOR:

~drifts off to sleep a bit after the Master, the unfamiliarity with the situation making falling asleep a little more difficult though he manages to fall into a restless sleep~

MASTER:

~has much less trouble sleeping~


	12. Mini-Doctor

MASTER:

~when the Doctor wakes up, the Master’s still asleep, his arms wrapped loosely around the Doctor and his face mostly hidden by the pillow~

DOCTOR:

~climbs out of the cave made by the Master’s arms, careful not to wake him in the process. Decides to explore the room and get used to maneuvering as someone shorter than the average new pencil, keeping an ear out for the Master to know when the other Timelord wakes up~

MASTER:

~it’s a good ten minutes before he starts to stir, time enough for the Doctor to have gotten pretty much anywhere in the room. Sits up and realizes the Doctor isn’t in the bed, looking around drowsily~ Doctor?

DOCTOR:

~has managed to get into the bottom drawer of the set of drawers~ I’m here! ~climbs up out of the drawer, getting onto the floor without hurting himself~

MASTER:

~notices the Doctor, crawling forward a bit to lie down facing the foot of the bed and looking down at the Doctor~ how’d you sleep?

DOCTOR:

~shrugs, looking up at the Master~ I slept okay. ~leans back on the drawer casually~ I guess I’m just not used to things yet. You?

MASTER:

Great; we haven’t slept on an actual bed in a while. ~stretches himself out, yawning lightly~ so… what have you been up to?

DOCTOR:

I looked around a bit, decided to make opening and getting into the drawer a goal… it was more difficult than one might expect, I had just gotten in when you woke up.

MASTER:

~folds his arms and rests his chin on them, smiling down at the Doctor and sounding patiently insistent~ you should try getting back in.

DOCTOR:

Eh; why not? ~walks around to be in front of the drawer handle, jumping up and grabbing the handle, pulling himself up with a good deal of effort and then climbing up over the front of the drawer and landing inside, panting~

MASTER:

~gets up off of the bed, smiling deviously as he gets on his knees by the drawer, looking down at the Doctor before pushing the drawer closed~

DOCTOR:

Hey! ~looks around at the tiny slivers of light that show the top edges of the drawer, knowing there’s no way he’s opening the drawer from the inside~ alright; very funny.

MASTER:

~laughs, standing up~ it is! You’re trapped in a drawer. ~waits a moment before walking back to the bed, biting back laughter as he takes his time in tidying up the bedsheets~

DOCTOR:

I swear; when I get out there I’m going to-… ~doesn’t think of a threat fast enough~ well… screw it, I’ll just wait here. I couldn’t threaten a mouse like this.

MASTER:

Maybe you could. ~waits out a few more moments before coming back to the drawer and opening it, reaching in to take the Doctor out~ you _are_ capable of being scary.

DOCTOR:

I know I’m capable of being scary; it’s something I usually try not to achieve. ~goes into the Master’s hand when the Master reaches down in to grab him~ I see frightening people and threatening them as two different things.

MASTER:

~simple looks at the Doctor for a moment, before putting the other Timelord in his left breast pocket~ I thought they were generally the same thing.

DOCTOR:

I think of threatening as purposefully making someone feel as if they may be in danger in order to achieve or receive something; while frightening is doing something regardless of purpose that makes someone else feel unsafe.

MASTER:

You’re making things too complicated. ~teasingly; brushes a finger through the Doctor’s hair and sweeps all of it to one side, starting to walk back out of the room~

DOCTOR:

~scowls playfully, just shaking his head to get his hair back to its usual gravity-defying state~ so, She said She left us in a conglomeration of different rooms; how many?

MASTER:

Don’t know; I didn’t feel obliged to look around when I was sent here. ~walks through the office and finds another sliding door at its opposite end, less worried about the Doctor falling down as he steps through the door, finding himself in a square room made of white panels—a little larger than the one they were drowned in—and there’s a portal gun on its stand in the center~

DOCTOR:

~is about to comment on the fact that there’s only one when he remembers his size, chuckling~ that’s for you, then.

MASTER:

~walks up to the device and stares at it for a moment, turning his head to look towards the round sliding door in the right wall, seeming perplexed~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the portal gun, then the Master~ it’s just a portal gun and a door. ~is more confused by the Master’s reaction than anything else~

MASTER:

~shakes his head slightly as if clearing it~ yeah. ~smiling slightly, walks away from the portal gun and heads to the door~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door opens to let him through into a short hallway of panels, which ends in an office-like room with a slightly blurry window at its far wall; another hallway branches off to the right before the room~

DOCTOR:

So; which way? ~finds it a little odd that the Master didn’t pick up the portal gun, shrugging it off and looking between the two options~ office or hallway?

MASTER:

~doesn’t respond apart from continuing straight into the small room, finding a desk across the left wall complete with a computer and another coffee mug, looking out of the window and seeing the general outline of a square room with a glass cylinder in its center~

DOCTOR:

I wonder if the computer has anything on it… it’s probably broken like the others, but still. ~looks around the room from his spot in the Master’s pocket, wondering how long it’s been since a human used this office~

MASTER:

~pulls out a chair and sits down in front of the computer almost as if the Doctor’s comment was a command; turns it on, and it seems to be working~ would you look at that.

DOCTOR:

That’s a first… what’s on it? ~is starting to get considerably irritated with his inability to do much without help, just glad the Master’s willing to help~

MASTER:

~takes a moment to look through the contents of the computer, mostly presented in code~ just old data and incomplete research. ~sighs~ nothing we could use.

DOCTOR:

~nods slightly, looking at the code as the Master scrolls through it~ I did doubt GLaDOS would put anything greatly useful in any of these rooms.

MASTER:

~turns the computer off and stands up, taking a last look out of the window before walking out of the room and heading down the hallway to the right, finding another circular door~ probably not.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door slides open and it’s another room made of white panels, with a grated floor~

DOCTOR:

~looks around the room, thinking it oddly empty~ why do you think GLaDOS is letting us take a break? I mean, she was _made_ to test; she has to have something more to test on us or else she might as well let us go.

MASTER:

Maybe this is just to get you used to being small. ~takes a tentative step into the room, but his foot misses the floor and he drifts into the air at a slight spin with a small noise of surprise as he tries to stop himself from doing a full barrel roll in the apparently gravity-less room~

DOCTOR:

Maybe. ~looks startled as well before realizing what’s going on, holding onto the top of the Master’s pocket as to not float away~ okay; I’ll admit, this is the last thing I expected.

MASTER:

~looks for something to hold on to, ending up directing himself towards the ground and latching onto the grated floor~ no kidding. ~holds himself down to the floor to avoid floating away~

DOCTOR:

~looks across the grated plain, not knowing what he can do from here given the fact that if he tried to move on his own he’d probably either float through the floor or too high to get back down without help~

MASTER:

~carefully pulls himself along to the opposite end of the room~

ENVIRONMENT:

~at the end of the room, there’s an exit door on the right wall but there are two vault doors straight ahead and side by side, with familiar numbers stenciled on to them~

MASTER:

~stops and looks at them warily~

DOCTOR:

What are those? ~furrows his eyebrows, taking a minute to pull up a faint memory of the vaults that grows more vivid~ oh, wait; they’re our vaults, right? ~looks at them, growing afraid as the memory comes into focus and he links it to the mainframe incident he had remembered earlier~

MASTER:

Yeah, and I’m not keen on looking in them. ~pulls himself away from the vault doors, heading to the exit, which opens when he nears it. Crawls out into the office they started in, relieved at the return of gravity as he comes to his feet and the door closes behind him~

DOCTOR:

~speaks after a moment of recuperating himself, having almost fallen out of the Master’s pocket upon reentering gravity~ well, that was… interesting.

MASTER:

~chuckles lightly, heading back over to the desk where he had set the maze and pulling up a chair, sitting down and gently taking the Doctor out of his pocket, setting him on the desk between the maze and another computer~ so, we have five rooms altogether.

DOCTOR:

Yes. ~looks up at the Master from where he lands on the desk~ so, what now?

MASTER:

~glances around the room, shrugging indecisively before turning his attention back to the Doctor~ did GLaDOS say anything about the TARDIS? ~folding his arms on top of the desk~

DOCTOR:

The last time She said anything about the TARDIS to me was when she was in the process of filling my cylinder with water. She said She was treating her well… do you think the TARDIS could be in my vault?

MASTER:

Highly unlikely… unless she’s crippled in some way. But still, unlikely… ~is visibly discomforted at the idea of going into the vaults~

DOCTOR:

I don’t want to check the vaults either… the way I got to know the TARDIS was okay was interesting; GLaDOS asked me if I had any concerns and I said “none you care about.” She then proceeded to say that she never said she didn’t care, so I said that drowning, you, and the TARDIS were my main concerns and she told me where you were and that she was treating the TARDIS well.

MASTER:

~brings a hand up to his face, sighing heavily~ it makes sense, you know… you’re getting treated well and I’m getting the worse end of it… in little ways, but it’s noticeable; I’m almost certain that malfunctioning test chamber wasn’t a mistake.

DOCTOR:

~looks down at the desk~ I-… I tried not to notice, honestly… ~contains himself as if for once he doesn’t want to share his thoughts~

MASTER:

~drops his hand, looking down at the desk as well~ it’s GLaDOS’ form of discipline. And it’s okay; you’re not at fault.

DOCTOR:

~glances up at the Master, walking over to where his arm meets the table and hugging it, though his arm only reach halfway around the Master’s arm~

MASTER:

~smiles down at the Doctor halfheartedly, feeling that a normal-sized hug would be more comforting but appreciates the Doctor’s effort anyway~ thanks.

DOCTOR:

~smiles back at the Master a little, feeling like the size difference was fun at first but now it’s more of a nuisance, letting go of the Master’s arm~ thank _you._

MASTER:

For what? ~sighs lightly, trying to think about what makes him more worthy of being thanked~

DOCTOR:

You’re the one going through all this for something I know you don’t necessarily want. Not to mention the fact that without you I wouldn’t be able to get from one room to the next right now. ~stops himself from going on a rant, staring down at his feet~ the fact is, you’ve done a whole lot more for me than I have for you.

MASTER:

~smiles, scooping the Doctor closer to him and nestling into his own arms, hugging the other Timelord up to his neck~ I don’t mind.

DOCTOR:

~snuzzles the Master’s neck, smiling, finding his ability to be completely enveloped by the Master’s arms a plus side to his size. Kisses the Master’s neck just once, knowing the action could be missed due to his size~

MASTER:

~smiles wider, holding the Doctor more tightly, as he’s noticed the action and finds it adorable~

DOCTOR:

~continues to snuggle the Master’s neck, more than happy with his current position to the point where he has all but forgotten why he’s in it~

MASTER:

~sits up without unwrapping his arms from the Doctor, smiling down at him~ at this point I’m not sure if I want you to stay like this or not.

DOCTOR:

~smiles back~ it’s fun, but I’m sure I’d be more helpful at full size. ~is rather comfortable nestled in the Master’s arms~

MASTER:

Yeah… I wonder how we change you back? ~rolls his chair back slightly, resting his chin on the edge of the desk to get at eye level with the Doctor, letting his eyes drift closed~

DOCTOR:

I’ve never seen anyone actually succeed in shrinking an organism before, so I wouldn’t know… that’s one thing I’ll give GLaDOS props for; She’s good at what she does—even if her methods are disagreeable.

MASTER:

~gently brushes his cheek against the Doctor’s side~ yeah…

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the gesture, leaning into the Master’s head, wondering if he’s still tired or just doesn’t have much to say~

MASTER:

~stays quiet for a few minutes, almost as if he intends to go back to sleep; eventually sits back up and unwraps his arms from around the Doctor, standing up~ I’ll be right back. ~goes over to the door on the right, coming back with the portal gun in his hand, looking absently at the floor~

DOCTOR:

Okay… ~looks slightly confused, wondering first what the Master’s up to and then why he brought the portal gun in~

MASTER:

Just thought we might need this. ~looks up at the Doctor, coming over to him and sitting down, setting the gun on the table and looking closely at it. It seems to be slightly different in design upon closer inspection~

DOCTOR:

It does seem like it’ll come in handy. ~looks over the object as well, walking around it to do so, finding it a little difficult to tell what’s actually changed and what just looks different from his new perspective~

MASTER:

~picks up the device, pointing it towards the floor to test it out; shoots, but nothing happens to the section of floor he’s pointing it at~ what… is it broken? ~takes a second look at the gun~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the floor where the Master shot in confusion~ maybe it’s not a portal gun. I mean, a lot of Aperture tech looks similar.

MASTER:

Um, okay… ~looks around for something he might be able to shoot, decidedly aiming and firing at the coffee mug on the ground. Goes still for a moment, crouching down to pick up the coffee mug, standing up and handing the now tiny piece of porcelain to the Doctor, which matches his size proportionally~

DOCTOR:

~takes the miniature mug from the Master’s hand, inspecting it for a second before looking up at the Master, smiling~ so it’s a shrink ray; probably exactly the same as what She used to shrink me.

MASTER:

And it doesn’t work on panels… smart move, I’d say. ~sits back down, looking at the gun for a moment in thought before raising it and aiming at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

Yeah. ~looks at the gun as it’s pointed at him, seeming uncertain as he thinks the Master may have found a way to reverse it~

MASTER:

~fiddles with the gun’s settings indecisively, eventually lowering the gun again and looking at it in disappointment~ it’s only got one setting.

DOCTOR:

Of course it does; that would’ve been too easy. ~sighs, sitting down on the desk~ it was worth checking, though.

MASTER:

I suppose. ~sets the gun down on the desk and out of the way, looking over at the Doctor~ anything in particular you want to do while we wait for an indefinite period of time?

DOCTOR:

~shrugs, thinking for a moment and coming up with nothing they haven’t done yet except the vaults, his gaze dropping to the floor (or the desk) when he thinks of them~ do you think, maybe… she _wants_ us to check the vaults? I mean, it’s the only thing remotely intimidating in these rooms.

MASTER:

It’s possible. Likely, even… but it doesn’t change the fact that I don’t want to open them. I mean, the last time I checked, the vault is where GlaDOS keeps the drums.

DOCTOR:

I know. I remembered when I was trying to figure out what they were. She could have rigged anything… ~sighs, realizing that the Master’s going to get the worse deal if they do open the vaults~ alright; we’ll wait a bit longer.

MASTER:

~stands up, picking the Doctor up off the desk by the collar of his jumpsuit, smiling in amusement~ you wouldn’t be able to open them without my help anyway.

DOCTOR:

~swallows, now realizing how much power the Master really has over him like this, looking at the Master in fear that he fails to hide~

MASTER:

What? ~holds the Doctor in his hand instead, not seeming to have malicious intent; starts strolling towards the door to the bedroom~

DOCTOR:

Nothing. ~relaxes again, though he does seem a bit on edge. Watches where they’re going, focusing mainly on keeping his balance but also on the Master’s actions~

MASTER:

~walks into the bedroom, getting onto the bed and propping himself up with his forearms, pinning the Doctor to the bed by his shoulders~ come on, what was it? You looked absolutely terrified.

DOCTOR:

~looks up at the Master, sighing as he knows he’ll have to explain~ fine; it was you. I mean, I know you’d never do anything to permanently harm me, but being held up by your shirt collar at what feels like fifty feet or more isn’t exactly calming.

MASTER:

~chuckles, tickling the Doctor’s stomach with one of his fingers~ I wouldn’t drop you… It feels more like I have a pet mouse than an ‘advantage’ over you.

DOCTOR:

Well… I _think_ that’s reassuring… ~stops himself from acknowledging the Master’s finger on his stomach~

MASTER:

~laughs softly, his finger drifting up to continue unzipping the Doctor’s jumpsuit from where he had stopped before~

DOCTOR:

~watches the Master intently, timidly curious as to the other Timelord’s intentions as the man always seems to have a goal~

MASTER:

~pulls the Doctor’s arms out of the sleeves of his jumpsuit, gently pushing up the Doctor’s white Aperture t-shirt to show his stomach and chest, smiling mischievously~

DOCTOR:

~tenses up slightly, knowing the Master can pin him with one finger and warily keeping himself focused on the Master, seeing no real reason not to trust the Master anyway~

MASTER:

~leans forward and brushes the tip of his nose again the Doctor’s stomach, closing his eyes as he gently breathes warm air into the Doctor’s groin~

DOCTOR:

~lets his eyes flit closed, not sure how he should feel about this, successfully suppressing a responsive shudder~

MASTER:

~gives him a little kiss, brushing his fingers down the Doctor’s sides faintly, not pinning him to the bed anymore and leaving the other Timelord room to weasel his way out from under the Master’s nose if he so chooses~

DOCTOR:

~decidedly relaxes, the sensation pleasant though odd given the fac that the Master’s fingertips are the size of his hand~

MASTER:

~pressing his mouth into the Doctor slightly, hums and creates gentle vibrations which stimulate the Doctor more than they would had he been a normal size~

DOCTOR:

~a light moan of pleasure escapes his throat. No logner cares about the abnormality of the situation, not seeing a reason why he should~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly, opening his eyes to look up at the Doctor and notice how much he seems to be enjoying this, continuing to carefully massage his lips against the Doctor as it’s all the encouragement he needs~

DOCTOR:

~smiling, lets the Master continue pleasing him, finding there’s not much else he can do that he wants to~

MASTER:

~after a few moments he lifts his head, looking down at the Doctor with a smile as he softly brushes a finger down the side of the Doctor’s face~ still scared?

DOCTOR:

~smiles back, looking up at the Master, nuzzling the Master’s finger slightly~ not really, no. ~wonders how the Master manages to be terrifying when he wants to be and just as easily seem not at all frightening~

MASTER:

That’s good. ~brushes his finger down the Doctor’s side and pulls his shirt back down, sitting back on his heels~

DOCTOR:

~knows that all wasn’t necessary to gain trust or calm his nerves, just lying there for a second more before putting his arms back in his jumpsuit~

MASTER:

~rests his arms in his lap, looking down at the bedsheets in front of him with a playful smile before glancing up to meet the Doctor’s gaze~ though I do wonder what would happen if you fell the equivalent of 50 feet.

DOCTOR:

~sits up, zippering his jumpsuit as he speaks~ it would depend on what surface I fell onto… I know for a tested fact that I can survive falling 30 feet onto stone easily.

MASTER:

Shh. ~knocks the Doctor back onto the bed by covering his mouth with his finger, waiting a moment before letting go~ shall we go open the vaults now? ~speaks cheerfully but inwardly he’s disagreeing with himself~

DOCTOR:

~gets back to his feet once he can, stopping himself from frowning at the suggestion that was originally his own~ yeah… now’s as good as ever, right? ~walks over to the Master, smiling reassuringly at him~

MASTER:

~reaches down to offer his open hand to the Doctor~ agreed. ~smiles back, covering up his uncertainty~

DOCTOR:

~climbs onto the Master’s hand, knowing they’re both pretending to be fine with the given situation and thinking it’s probably best this way~

MASTER:

~lifts the Doctor up, cupping his hand to present his fingers as something to hold on to, standing up and walking out of the room to head toward the anti-gravity room~

DOCTOR:

I would say some witty comment about GLaDOS not talking but I feel like she’d speak just to prove me wrong.

GLaDOS:

*Do you have a _problem_ with me not talking?*

MASTER:

~carefully walks through the door to the anti-gravity room, giving himself a forward push towards the Doctor’s vault so that he can avoid the complications of walking altogether; latches on to the handle with the hand that’s not holding the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

No, GLaDOS, but thanks for proving me right. ~holds onto the Master’s fingers to ensure that he doesn’t float in a different direction from the Master~

MASTER:

~turns the handle, opening the vault and stepping inside quickly, where gravity is in effect again~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the rectangular room is empty apart from the Doctor’s clothes, which are clumped into the far corner and too big for him anyway~

DOCTOR:

Okay… ~looks around from where he stands in the Master’s hand~ that’s… anticlimactic, really. I’m not complaining; anticlimactic was, I guess, the best outcome that could be expected from this.

MASTER:

There’s still my vault. ~finds himself unable to be relieved, looking at the practically empty space for a moment longer before turning around and heading back out, latching on to the other vault’s handle and hesitating to turn it~

DOCTOR:

~tensely looks at the Master’s vault door~ there’s nothing else we can do; better to face whatever’s in there willfully than by force, if it even is a trap.

MASTER:

~nods slightly, gripping the handle and rotating it as best he can with one hand, stepping inside first before bringing the Doctor in a few seconds after him, as a precautionary measure~

ENVIRONMENT:

~inside—similarly to the Doctor’s—the Master’s suit as well as his hoodie are in the far corner, and another portal gun rests on the floor closer to the door~

MASTER:

~sighs in relief~

DOCTOR:

~relaxes, almost laughing out of relief~ I feel like She just did this to mess with us or something. Eh, I got memory out of it. ~noticed the Master putting himself in first, deciding not to bring it up as it was considerate~

MASTER:

~crouches down, setting the Doctor on the ground~ I almost don’t want to trust it. ~leaving the Doctor there, walks over to the portal gun to lean down and pick it up, but it seems to be fixed to the floor~

DOCTOR:

~is confused by the Master’s actions and by the fact that the portal seems stuck to the floor, walking over warily~

MASTER:

~gets down onto the ground, looking closely into the barrel of the gun with confusion. Tries pulling at it a different way, and it raises a foot or so off the ground on a retractable pedestal to which it is attached, adjusting itself to aim at the Master~

DOCTOR:

~once he reaches the gun it’s too high for him to reach and it seems like a bad idea to climb it, immediately noticing the gun’s change in position, his eyes widening as he desperately hopes that the gun won’t fire and that it’s not lethal~

MASTER:

~the gun fires an electrical charge, and the Master collapses before he really has time to react or get out of the way, weakly trying to get back off the ground~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the vault door swings closed, locking itself as the whole room sways and creaks with the effects of being moved~

DOCTOR:

~runs over to the Master, wanting to help him but knowing he can’t, trying to keep his balance in the moving room, watching the Master anxiously~

MASTER:

I’m… fine. ~manages to sit up, using his hands to keep himself propped up as he breathes heavily, looking discombobulated~ damn, that was powerful…

DOCTOR:

It looked like it. ~still looks concerned, somewhere in his mind knowing that a shock at that power at his own size would kill him before he’d even be able to regenerate and realizing the Master’s precautionary measures when it came to him may have been necessary as he’d be stupid enough to try to block the shot~

MASTER:

Where… ~his arms shake with the strain of holding himself up and he wheezes, letting himself fall back down to the ground as sitting upright is an unnecessary waste of energy~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room plummets a few yards and lands on something else with a crash, tossing about its contends slightly as the sound of moving panels comes from just outside~

DOCTOR:

~loses his balance when they crash, close enough to grab the Master’s jumpsuit to stop himself from hitting the ground too hard. Looks at the Master, still worried for his electrified partner as it seems that the shock may have been stronger than the Doctor had originally estimated~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the vault door opens itself and there’s a white panel blocking the exit; there’s a small opening at the bottom of the panel just big enough for the Doctor~

MASTER:

~doesn’t look like he’s inclined to get up or do anything at the moment~

DOCTOR:

It looks like She wants me to go; the doorway’s my size. ~climbs up onto the Master, laying on his stomach on the Master’s chest with his arms out, as if in a hug~ I guess I owe you another thanks; I think we both know that, given the opportunity, I would have tried to take that shot.

MASTER:

~gently brings his arms up and around the Doctor, not feeling like he’d be able to do much else~ you’re welcome… ~his hold is light enough that it can be easily escaped~ …I suppose you should go then. I’ll be—fine here.

DOCTOR:

~sighs heavily, partially to drink in the Master’s scent and partially to calm himself, lightly nuzzling the Master’s chest before getting out of the Master’s arms and climbing off of him. Plants a kiss on the Master’s cheek before turning to leave~ I’ll see you later, Master.

MASTER:

See you then, Doctor. ~smiles at the Doctor’s actions, turning onto his stomach through a good amount of effort in order to watch the Doctor leave~

ENVIRONMENT:

~there’s a hallway behind the Doctor-sized opening, which goes on for long enough that the end of it is engulfed in darkness~

DOCTOR:

~smiling, glances back at the Master very briefly in a second of hesitance before walking through his specially sized opening and down the hall, wondering what awaits him as well as what GLaDOS intends to do with the Master~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a panel slides down over the opening the Doctor came through, sending the hallway into complete darkness~

DOCTOR:

~keeps walking, occupying his mind with making memories more vivid, still carefully sticking to his more harmless memories, knowing he has to eventually hit a wall or something~

ENVIRONMENT:

~eventually his foot slips into a circular hole in the floor, sending him falling into a small container that feels like it’s made of glass, but is deep enough that jumping up to pull himself back out is near impossible~

DOCTOR:

~fails any and all attempts to catch himself, landing mostly on his feet. Looks around, finding his lack of ability to see rather hindering~ so have you not set up lights for this or do you simply enjoy seeing me struggle to figure out where the hell everything is?

GLaDOS:

*I’ve got lights in this room; yes.* ~the sound of Her voice sounds a little low-quality speaker-wise~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the lights come on to show the square room the Doctor’s in as well as the glass cylinder he’s trapped inside~

GLaDOS:

*Welcome to the same test you took earlier, pocket-sized.*

DOCTOR:

~looks around himself, sighing and leaning on the glass, wondering what testing will hold for him this time~ and the reason I’m here again but smaller is? Do you think you’ll get different results just because everything’s smaller?

GLaDOS:

*Ah, yes; you see, your size should effect how well you perform in these types of situations. For example, while you may be smaller, the molecules of water, are not.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~as She finishes up speaking, water fills up the tube rather quickly~

DOCTOR:

~goes to swim up when the water laps over his mouth, realizing that in order for him to have shrunk in a non-damaging way, he would have become technically denser as he finds he can’t swim up. The unexpected setback makes it so he doesn’t have a lot of air in his lungs when he’s completely submerged in water, soon gasping for air and being suffocated by the seemingly thicker liquid~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the process is repeated two more times rather than just once; when the Doctor comes to after the third one, he’s been pushed back up into the dark hallway. For some reason he feels completely dry despite what just happened, with no water in his lungs~

DOCTOR:

~slightly disoriented by the situation, gets up and walking in the direction he believes is the same as the direction he had been walking down the hall, panting lightly mostly for the feeling of air properly filling his lungs~

ENVIRONMENT:

~eventually the Doctor hits a wall, presumably the panel that had covered up the entrance to the hallway~

DOCTOR:

Wrong way; okay. ~turns around, walking back, knowing he shouldn’t look forward to the next test but finding that having to wait for anything is boring~

ENVIRONMENT:

~more panels move in front of him and he runs into another wall, having only walked a few yards away from the other wall. A light flickers on a moment later to show the small room the Doctor is now trapped in~

DOCTOR:

~looks around him, initially looking threatened but soon analyzing the situation~ you know what this reminds me of? ~mentally finds that there’s no way to know or assume anything about what’s going to happen just yet~

GLaDOS:

*What?* ~Her voice is clear again, like the speaker’s been fixed or replaced~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the panel covering the entrance slides down into the floor, revealing a Doctor-sized vault door behind it from which comes sounds of some sort of commotion~

DOCTOR:

It reminded me of when the Master was hooked up to the mainframe and he had me caught in a hallway. ~stops himself from grimacing as he recalls looking at the screen that displayed the bloodied, wired, demented Master, opening the vault door with only slight hesitation as commotion seems like it can’t be good when it’s coming from a vault in Aperture~

MASTER:

~is running about in the vault, trying to avoid discharges of electricity coming from the fun on its pedestal while also trying to get close enough to it to attempt to disable it. Looks over at the Doctor, caught off-guard by his sudden reappearance and ability to open the door; one of the shots catches him in the arm and he yelps, curling slightly in pain but continuing to run from the discharges, as it seems constant movement is necessary~

DOCTOR:

~gets extremely disoriented by his size for a second, the sudden appearance of a problem and need for action making him run directly to the gun to attempt disabling it, dodging any shots that stray toward him until he reaches it~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the gun seems more focused on the Master, allowing for the Doctor to get close to it~

MASTER:

~sees what the Doctor’s doing, trying to help keep the gun facing the same general direction while doing his best to avoid the shots~

DOCTOR:

~quickly looks over the gun, seeing no obvious way to disable it and taking a second to figure out how to try to do so, taking a moment to execute his idea to disable it~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the gun resists a bit but eventually stops shooting~

MASTER:

~just stands still for a moment in order to get his breath back and assess any damage the shocks may have done to him~

DOCTOR:

~pants lightly from adrenaline, getting re-adjusted to his original size and looking over at the Master~ you alright? ~it feels almost odd to not have to look up to talk to the Master~

MASTER:

~looks up to meet the Doctor’s gaze, smiling slightly as he walks over to him, throwing his arms around the other Timelord’s neck and pulling him into a kiss rather than replying verbally~

DOCTOR:

~wraps his own arms around the Master’s waist, kissing the Master back near instantly, finding that he missed this far more than he thought and letting his eyes flit closed~

MASTER:

~leans into the Doctor a bit before breaking the kiss, grinning up at him~ I think I’d like you to stay this size for a while.

DOCTOR:

~grins back at the Master~ I’d say that’s an excellent idea… ~pauses as if getting himself out of some trance, adding quietly~ I never thought density’s relevance when it comes to buoyancy would be important to me.

MASTER:

What happened while you were gone…? ~asks as he runs his hands around the Doctor’s neck and down his chest, smiling~

DOCTOR:

She ran me back through the drowning test a couple times; the problem being even a sentient rock can’t swim and given the fact that I was more compact and the water wasn’t, I stopped being able to get air a lot sooner than I expected. ~smiles back at the Master~

MASTER:

~softly kissing up the Doctor’s neck, stops a few moments after the Doctor finishes speaking~ you’re completely dry though-… ~seems to realize something, dismissing his observation and leaning forward to rest his head under the Doctor’s chin~

DOCTOR:

~assumes the Master figured out the reason why he’s dry, very happy with his original size as he feels more capable in general, not to mention how much more tangible affection seems to be~

MASTER:

~sighs, letting his eyes close for a moment as he appreciates the fact that the Doctor can give him a proper hug. Pulls away from the Doctor, heading to the disabled gun and trying to take it off the stand again; it detaches easily~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the gun as the Master picks it up, almost warily~ I guess that if we got anything out of this it’s the usual “expect the unexpected.”

MASTER:

Which, is technically impossible. ~holds the gun towards the ground, reversing whatever the Doctor did to it cautiously; it doesn’t fire when it’s turned back on and he holds it ready as he looks to the Doctor~ we’ll probably need this.

DOCTOR:

~nods in agreement, looking over at the door~ last I checked, out that door is a hallway that She has complete control over—like anything she’ll let us near—but she might have changed it into a test chamber by now.

GLaDOS:

*I like your thinking.*

MASTER:

~hesitantly goes to open the vault door fully, behind which is a circular sliding door~ there doesn’t seem to be much of a choice… unless you like sitting around doing nothing.

DOCTOR:

I’d prefer _anything_ to _nothing,_ so I’m up for going if you’re up to it. ~stops himself from reacting to GLaDOS’ comment, knowing that it’d just encourage her~

MASTER:

~nods slightly, walking out of the vault as the door opens for him~

ENVIRONMENT:

~there’s a now well-lit hallway behind the door, continuing straight for what has to be at least 25 yards~

DOCTOR:

Is it hard to light a hallway built for a man the size of a matchbox? No, wait, it was dark when I woke up, too… ~doesn’t sound really irritated, more like he’s making up something to talk about to make the situation less tense~

MASTER:

~gravitates toward the nearest wall, putting his ear to it for a moment thoughtfully, before walking down the hallway~ I’m guessing wherever she wants us to be in difficult or unable to move, otherwise it would have been brought right to us.

DOCTOR:

Probably… what would be so hard to move, though? ~follows the Master down the hall, half expecting for something about it to change as they’re walking as the area seems too safe~

MASTER:

I don’t know. ~looking around as he walks with the gun held ready, just in case~

ENVIRONMENT:

~as they near the end of the hallway the scent of something very familiar becomes strong, but something about the scent is off~

DOCTOR:

~looks a bit confused for a second, sniffing the air slightly before seeming to understand~ GLaDOS said she was trying to make Timelords, right?

MASTER:

Did she? ~reaches the end of the hallway after speeding up just slightly, coming to a door that he pushes open; walks out onto a catwalk~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the path weaves around the large room to reach the walls, where rows and rows of glass cryosleep tubes are stored—most of them occupied—with the majority of the subjects being children. Their consciousness can be felt and sometimes vaguely understood, their minds almost perfectly echoing a real Timelord’s—but the difference is noticeable~

DOCTOR:

~looks around in mildly disgusted awe as he steps into the room~ factory-made Timelords… I mean, not quite, but I’ll admit that it’s impressive. ~hasn’t been in this close a proximity to even half this many Timelords since the Time War, almost overwhelmed by it all~

GLaDOS:

*Thank you. Although, I wouldn’t exactly say _factory-_ made.*

MASTER:

~walks through the center of the room until they come to a part of the catwalk that branches off towards the pods, following it and stopping in front of a pod that holds what looks like a six year old boy, one of the younger subjects in the row~

DOCTOR:

And I wouldn’t say man-made, considering that you are a machine. ~follows the Master automatically, not really paying attention to where he’s going until they stop~ and you may have impressed me but that doesn’t change my disapproval towards your existence.

MASTER:

~stares down into the chamber in thought, quietly murmuring~ they’re conscious…

GLaDOS:

~speaks after a few silent moments~ *Don’t get too attached to any of them. I’ll be getting rid of this batch as soon as I’ve engineered a more accurate version.*

MASTER:

~looks down, shaking his head~ and there it is… They aren’t a carton of bad eggs, GLaDOS, they’re _people._ Each being here has infinite possibilities, an immeasureable amount of potential- ~builds up to almost seeming like his old self but turns more frustrated and angered as he continues~ but you’re as emotionally understanding as a Dalek, aren’t you? I used to rid the universe of people and machines like you daily; I’d at least save the people if not be rid of you. ~gestures widely to all the chambers~ these people could lead wonderful lives; you could let them live those lives. But you just don’t _care._ ~looks down at the floor~ I used to be able to care enough for everyone and easily get out of situations like this with the best possible outcome…

GLaDOS:

*Oh, I can understand emotion—It’s part of my research. Yes, these subjects could be let go, but what good would they do roaming about the Earth?*

DOCTOR:

Statistically, if they have even half the capacity of a Timelord, regen—er—some things aside, they’d live twice as long as the average human and could help mankind exponentially in all fields. ~doesn’t want GLaDOS to know about regeneration, hoping he might be able to save these people~

GLaDOS:

*Does earth have these people in the future? I’m sure you’d know. It would be a considerable change to history, would it not?*

MASTER:

~slowly wanders down along the row of pods, not straying too far from the Doctor~

GLaDOS:

*See, I’ve been doing my research. The flow of time is important… now if you’ve got some other suggestion, be my guest.*

DOCTOR:

I have saved and reestablished whole races before. Time generally resolves itself. I get the feeling I was supposed to die before now… not to mention the fact that I _caused_ Pompeii. Really, time can take the burden as long as something isn’t a fixed point. Besides, the majority if not all of them would probably end up in Eaden because of the 300-mile radius between there and any other civilization.

GLaDOS:

*This isn’t the only room I have with stored synthetic Timelords.* ~figuring that the Doctor’s going to keep trying to convince her to let the subjects out no matter what she says~ *And I’m not letting them out onto Earth’s surface; sorry.*

DOCTOR:

~sighs, looking down at the floor, still seeming angered but it doesn’t show in his tone~ no you’re not. Sorry indicates regret. You can’t regret something you haven’t done and you can’t be truly sorry for something you fully intend on repeating.

GLaDOS:

*But you can regret not doing something. Which is beside the point.* ~pauses for a moment~ *But as I said earlier, if you have any other suggestions, feel free to ask.*

MASTER:

~opens one of the few empty pods which happen to be nearby~

DOCTOR:

~thinks for a second~ send them to a different planet, then. I know quite a few uninhabited planets and a ship that could easily fit a few hundred people… If I’m still required in order to fly the TARDIS, I swear on her life I won’t try anything against you when I’m relocating them.

GLaDOS:

~is silent for a while, presumably considering the Doctor’s suggestion~

MASTER:

~closes the pod back up and listens for GLaDOS’ response~

GLaDOS:

*…I suppose, that’s fine.*

DOCTOR:

~looks up, not having expected approval of his suggestion~ really? ~hardly believes he could have won this after so many failed attempts at different things~ I mean, thanks!

GLaDOS:

*Yes, yes. I’ll have your TARDIS in the next room.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~the subjects in the cryosleep chambers start to regain full consciousness, and the doors to their glass pods begin to unlock throughout the room~

GLaDOS:

*You’d better get started.*

DOCTOR:

Okay then! ~looks over at the door to ‘the next room’, yelling over the sound of hundreds of reawakening semi-Timelords~ Alright you lot! I’m not going to make some long explanation unless you want it but come with me! I’m going to take you somewhere you can call home. If you could all follow in a relatively organized fashion it’d be greatly appreciated.

SEMI-TIMELORDS:

~the Timelords start pushing out of their chambers in a mild daze, but no verbal words are shared; they look happy with getting out of the pods and being with the others~

MASTER:

~pushes through the crowd of people generally smaller than he is to get back over to the Doctor~

BOY:

~the boy that had been in the pod nearby happily hugs the Doctor’s leg and reaches out to connect to him telepathically~

DOCTOR:

~is startled by the boy, closing off his memories from telepathic access before accepting the telepathic connection, smiling at him as he speaks~ hello, what’s your name?

BOY:

~takes a moment to understand what the Doctor is saying, giving him the number “412” through the telepathic connection as a reply, trying to explore the Doctor’s mind in the pursuit of knowledge~

MASTER:

~makes it back to the Doctor’s side, noticing the interaction~ I don’t think they’ve ever communicated with words before.

DOCTOR:

I don’t think so either. They don’t have names… this might take getting a message across a bit harder… ~looks back at the child, mentally asking “412” if he could help him gather everyone, bringing up and allowing access to his memory of his last conversation with GLaDOS that explains why~ it makes sense, though; why communicate with words while the only people you’re communicating with are telepathic?

412:

~the boy seems to be taking in the Doctor’s every verbal word, getting excited at the memory and letting go of the Doctor’s waist to head off into the crowd, seeming to pass on the message which begins to spread from person to person quickly~

SEMI-TIMELORDS:

~soon the Timelords on the catwalks above and below them are on their way down towards the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~looks up and down at the hundreds of test subjects, smiling as he feels like he’s saving people again. Goes to the door behind which he assumes the TARDIS is waiting, opening it after he manages to get through the crowd of people~

TARDIS:

~is in a small room of white panels behind the door, seeing the Doctor and growing elated, though she’s still overwhelmed by the large amount of Timelord mental activity that she can sense in the other room~

DOCTOR:

‘Ello! ~smiles widely at the TARDIS, opening her doors~ are you up to saving a few hundred more people? ~is clearly excited, hoping the immense amount of telepathic activity isn’t too overwhelming for the TARDIS, leaving his memory wide open to her~

TARDIS:

~she takes a moment to process this, but agrees enthusiastically~

SEMI-TIMELORDS:

~they start curiously following after the Doctor into the room with the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

Alright, guys. Don’t- ~remembers that they’re non-verbal, walking up to and placing two fingers on the nearest semi-Timelord’s forehead to ask them to spread the message to not touch the console or stray into the rooms or down the hallways, not wanting to lose anyone and gesturing for the Timelords to come into the TARDIS~

TARDIS:

~assures the Doctor that she can help spread this message more efficiently, as the Timelords file into the TARDIS two abreast~

DOCTOR:

Thank you. ~is speaking to the TARDIS, walking back in to set the coordinates to mock-Gallifrey but thinking after a second that that’s his and the Master’s planet, knowing the thought isn’t true but also knowing that there were plenty of other uninhabited habitable planets in that sector~

SEMI-TIMELORDS:

~they finish boarding the TARDIS after a few minutes, occasionally wandering towards the Doctor to see what he’s doing; some stay in the console room milling about while the rest wait in the halls, staying close to the console room~

412:

~finds his way out of the crowd and bounds over to the Doctor, looking at the console in awe~

DOCTOR:

~erases his previous coordinates, thinking about different uninhabited planets. 412 catches his attention as he’s trying to decide on a planet, walking over to the young Timelord~ hey, 412, do you think you have an idea of—right. ~sets a hand on 412’s shoulder, asking him which he likes best of three planets that are uninhabited by anything that has any significant future, one a purple-blue grassland, another a forest seeming to be made of entirely metal and stone and the last one an orange stone landscape with caverns and chasms~

412:

~says that he likes the first one, seeming a little unsure of himself and the decision. Asks why the Doctor had changed the coordinates~

DOCTOR:

~responds by bluntly stating that he wants to preserve the planet he had originally thought of, walking over to put in the coordinates for the purple grassland planet before 412 can ask why he wants to preserve mock Gallifrey~

GLaDOS:

*Oh, and, before you go, could you take a few things with you? It’d be convenient to have a portal set up there so that we don’t have to do this multiple times. I’ve got the supplies outside.*

SEMI-TIMELORDS:

~don’t seem to be affected by GLaDOS’ voice~

DOCTOR:

As long as it’s actually a portal gun this time. ~walks out of the TARDIS, leaving the door open so it’s clear to the Timelords that he isn’t leaving them, grabbing the necessary supplies to bring them into the TARDIS and set them under the console so that others aren’t tempted to touch them~

GLaDOS:

*Why would I give you a fake portal gun to use to make a portal?* ~the supplies include the portal gun and a white panel, which is a little bit of a hassle to get into the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~props the panel up against the railing, closing the door and going to start the TARDIS~ hold o—oh, you’ll figure it out. ~is just about to start the TARDIS when he wonders where the Master is, glancing around to be sure of the other Timelord’s location~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Master’s not in the console room but that doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not in the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~mentally asks the TARDIS where the Master is, not wanting to leave him in Aperture, especially considering recent happenings~

TARDIS:

~she takes a moment to look, explaining that she thinks he’s wandered off after the Doctor started boarding the other Timelords~

DOCTOR:

~accepts the answer, taking off and flying the TARDIS exactly as he used to, running about the console happily as if he’s forgotten the situation they’re stuck in~

TARDIS:

~lands a few moments later~

SEMI-TIMELORDS:

~the Timelords inside take a minute to reorient themselves after the unexpectedly bumpy ride~

DOCTOR:

~opens the doors, gesturing widely for everyone to go out into a vast field that seems to be interrupted only by a nearby stream, going back in to grab the portal gun and get the panel outside~

SEMI-TIMELORDS:

~they come off of the ship, dispersing into the fields of grass, looking around in awe at the brightness of the outside world, before long leaving the TARDIS empty again~

DOCTOR:

~shoots a portal in the panel, laying it outside and walking back into the TARDIS with the portal gun in hand, closing the door behind him, smiling~ almost like old times, eh?

TARDIS:

~agrees happily~

GLaDOS:

*Thank you; please try to remember which portal you set up here. Humans always seem to have a problem with that.*

DOCTOR:

It was the orange one. ~slides his hand along the rim of the console on his way to set the TARDIS to fly back to where she came from~

TARDIS:

~as she goes into flight she asks the Doctor why he decided to leave the Master in Aperture, even though he was worried about leaving the Master there because of recent happenings~

DOCTOR:

I figured ten minutes wouldn’t ki- ~restarts as if correcting himself~ I knew it wouldn’t take long and thought that if he’d wandered off he’d found something of interest. Playing hero’s not usually his choice of activity anyway.

TARDIS:

~she’s quietly thoughtful for a moment before absently mentioning the fact that GLaDOS has the ability to create time stream differentials, landing back in the room she had been in previously~

DOCTOR:

Alright, so maybe I wasn’t thinking; maybe I was a bit distracted. ~sounds guilty and almost irritated, starting toward the TARDIS doors~

 


	13. Aboulia

GLaDOS:

~oddly enough GLaDOS doesn’t seem to have any comments at the time~

TARDIS:

~explains that she doesn’t blame the Doctor, but was just a bit confused~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, mentally apologizing for his tone and leaving the TARDIS, shooting a blue portal into the wall before opening the door to the cryosleep chambers’ room, hoping to see the Master’s blatantly obvious neon orange form nearby~ Master?

ENVIRONMENT:

~when the Doctor calls the Master’s name stumbling footsteps come from a few levels up and to the left~

MASTER:

~opens and steps out of one of the cryosleep chambers. He goes to the railing and looks down at the Doctor with a small grin, though he seems like he just went through a tussle of some sort; a cord comes over to wrap around his wrist and he turns slightly to wave it away~

DOCTOR:

~seems confused, watching what looks like a cord obeying the Master who looks perfectly happy though it seems as if he was just in a mass of cords~ are you alright…? Sorry I left like that, by the way; I was a bit distracted.

MASTER:

Yeah, I’m fine. It’s all good. ~brushes a hand through his hair, smoothing it down so he doesn’t look so disheveled. After a second he walks back to close up the opened cryosleep chamber~

DOCTOR:

They’re all on an uninhabited planet; the place influences history so little that no one really named it beyond letters and numbers… which is kind of fitting when you think about it. ~smiles, getting over how odd things initially seemed~ it’s nice to save people again.

MASTER:

I’m sure it is. ~hesitates briefly before making his way down a set of stairs towards the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~turns and sets the portal gun on the floor of the room with the TARDIS, figuring it can’t be of any use to them now~ so; what now?

MASTER:

~gets faster as he approaches the Doctor, as if suddenly desperate; hugs the Doctor on impact, burying his face in the other Timelord’s shoulder and, after a moment, dropping to his knees with his eyes fixed on the floor as he speaks shakily~ Doctor, I need help; and I don’t know if I can get it…

DOCTOR:

What is it? ~is worried and simultaneously confused by the sudden emotional request, forcing himself to get calm, taking a knee in order to be at eye level with the Master~ …what do you need me to do?

MASTER:

Stop me from doing anything stupid; stop me from… giving up. ~leans forward into the Doctor, not really wanting to look him in the eye right now~

DOCTOR:

~wraps his arms around the Master, remembering his dying request of “don’t do anything stupid”~ I-… I’ll try, Master… ~doesn’t really know how to do what’s being asked of him, afraid for his old friend and for himself~

MASTER:

~curls up against the Doctor’s chest, shivering faintly in his arms~ but you don’t know how, do you? ~speaking quietly; probably having picked up on the Doctor’s thoughts~

DOCTOR:

~seems to hesitate a bit, answering after a second of desperate silence~ w-well, no, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try… and it doesn’t mean I can’t succeed.

MASTER:

It’s okay… neither do I. ~seems to have managed to calm himself down, turning his head slightly to peer up at where he had been earlier, quickly hiding his face in the Doctor’s chest again~

DOCTOR:

~rubs the Master’s back comfortingly~ I guess we just have to… keep moving forward… ~thinks for a second, trying to think of some specific way to help the Master but finding that he doesn’t even know how he got this far himself~

MASTER:

Yeah… ~closes his eyes and relaxes slightly in thought for a while, trying to gain some self-assurance; pulls away from the Doctor when his thoughts start going down the path of formulating a plan~ thanks.

DOCTOR:

~looks mildly confused, not feeling as if he’s really done anything for the Master yet~ for what? ~is still trying to think of ways to help the Master~

MASTER:

Just for… some degree of assurance. ~glances to the side, quickly looking back to close his eyes and bury his face in his arms, murmuring despairingly to himself~ stop…

DOCTOR:

You know… I might be able to help more if-… ~hesitates, thinking this whole situation seems delicate~ if you weren’t so—vague—about what’s actually going on.

MASTER:

Vague? ~looks up at the Doctor as if he’s going to explain further, but he gets an idea; reaches into his pocket and pulls out the handcuffs along with their key, setting them on the ground between him and the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the handcuffs, not wanting to think he knows what the Master’s implying and giving him a questioning look, hoping for some sort of explanation for something, disliking the Master’s tendency to imply things and expect him to get them~

MASTER:

Would these work? ~looks up at the Doctor, pushing the cuffs toward him and hoping he won’t have to explain~

DOCTOR:

Well, um… ~picks up the handcuffs and the key, looking over at the Master~ you’d certainly be at least less able to… do something stupid. ~remembers the last time he saw the Master in handcuffs—when Lucy shot him and the Master insisted that he’d rather die than be the Doctor’s prisoner—and trying to push the memory to the back of his mind~

MASTER:

There we go, then. ~nods slightly, presenting his wrists to the Doctor and meeting his gaze expectantly~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, cuffing the Master compliantly, making sure they’re too tight to come off without the key but not so tight that they could be harmful, putting the key in his pocket~ don’t ask why I even had handcuffs, because I have no clue.

MASTER:

~looks confused, glancing down at the cuffs~ are you talking about these handcuffs? ~rests his arms in his lap~

DOCTOR:

If they’re the same as the ones you found in my TARDIS then yes. The question’s really my own; I can’t remember the last time I thought I might need handcuffs—well, actually, I can, but I don’t remember ever acquiring a pair.

MASTER:

I suppose the same could be asked about the collar. ~smiles slightly, managing to get to his feet with only a little bit of trouble~

DOCTOR:

~stands up as well, chuckling slightly at the Master’s response~ makes me wonder what the heck I got up to in the past…

MASTER:

There _was_ that one time I caught the cheetah virus; started turning into a cat… ~shrugs slightly~ it was interesting, to say the least. ~looks around the room for some sort of exit~

DOCTOR:

~furrows his eyebrows in thought~ anything could be considered “interesting”, but yeah, I think I remember that… so, what now? ~glances around, not seeing much other than cryosleep chambers, the door to the hallway they came from, and the TARDIS’ room~

MASTER:

Now… we find a way out of here. ~looks up and down the rows of cryosleep chambers, focusing downward after a moment~ there should be some sort of floor if we go all the way down.

DOCTOR:

We _could_ just use the TARDIS. It shouldn’t be a problem with Her unless we use the TARDIS against Her.

MASTER:

~speaks quietly to the Doctor~ that’s why we shouldn’t use the TARDIS. ~walks over to and starts descending the stairs~

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master~ whatever you say… I just think that by now GLaDOS knows what I’m not willing to risk.

MASTER:

~stays silent until they reach the bottom of the stairs, at which is a simple grey-paneled floor~

ENVIRONMENT:

~it’s dark, but on the wall in front of them a circular door can be seen as well as the occasional missing panel~

DOCTOR:

~walks up to one of the missing panels, looking around at what’s outside of it to see if it’s an escape from GlaDOS’ network~

ENVIRONMENT:

~outside it looks like a conglomeration of grey, rectangular chambers stacked on top of each other, with a few catwalks and management rails here and there, including a catwalk that’s not too far from the missing panel~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor over~

DOCTOR:

~looks around at the chambers and catwalks, focusing on the closest catwalk~ I think I could make that… especially considering that my ankle’s not a problem anymore.

MASTER:

What are you waiting for then? ~looks out at the vast room, trying to see if the catwalk goes anywhere in particular~

DOCTOR:

~jumps, successfully landing on the catwalk and stepping aside to let the Master have room to jump on as well~ d’you think we’ll run into Rick?

MASTER:

~hesitates briefly before jumping out onto the catwalk as well, a bit unsteady with his landing because of his lack of ability to balance using his arms~ maybe. There _are_ a few management rails around here… ~looks around, noticing one end of the catwalk is broken off and at the other is a regular hinged door~

DOCTOR:

~goes towards the door, it seeming like a better option than going to the broken end of the catwalk~ it’d be a nice reunion; Rick was rather nice, especially considering he’s Aperture tech… so was Wheatley, though; right?

MASTER:

Makes you wonder… was true artificial intelligence created here before GLaDOS took over, or not? Since GLaDOS was originally human. ~his eyes are out of focus like he’s in deep thought, following the Doctor instinctively without regard for where they’re going~

DOCTOR:

Well it seems like GLaDOS was the first, considering how many prototypes were involved and the fact that they could probably use simpler droids and humans for most of the cores’ jobs… but then again, the turrets could have been used in testing first, inspiring cores before GLaDOS… I guess we could ask next time we inevitably end up in an area She controls. ~opens the door to walk into the room~

MASTER:

Don’t be pessimistic. ~follows the Doctor into the room~

ENVIRONMENT:

~which looks like it may have been an office or control station at some point, but is horribly overgrown and messy. At the far end of the room there’s a control panel with a few buttons, with labels having something to do with enrichment and power; it seems to be off~

DOCTOR:

Sorry. ~looks around the room for anything of interest, thinking aloud~ well I’d love to just press all of the buttons and see what happens but that sounds like a horrible idea from what buttons have done before… though this all seems powered down to me.

MASTER:

Yeah, it probably wouldn’t work even if you did press anything. ~walks further into the room, stepping around the obstacles in his way and looking at the different controls~ enrichment center…

DOCTOR:

~nods slightly, quickly losing interest in things as he looks over them, starting to think there may be nothing of interest in this room~

MASTER:

~analyzes the display, finding a lever on the wall beside the control panel that he finds interesting~ hey, look at this. ~the switch is labeled “emergency shutdown”~ maybe it’ll cut off GLaDOS from this section?

DOCTOR:

~walks over, looking at the lever~ maybe; and we can’t really screw anything up by turning things _off._ Worth a try. ~pulls the lever decidedly, realizing afterward that this may mean less to no lighting and reminding himself that the Master’s the cuffed one~

ENVIRONMENT:

~sure enough the lights in the room turn off as well as outside, leaving not-quite-complete darkness; it’s hard to tell for sure whether or not it did anything else~

DOCTOR:

So… was there another door in here or do we have to go back? ~glances around, trying to see for himself but is not yet adjusted to the lighting~

MASTER:

I’m not sure… ~chuckles lightly, staying where he is~ meeting Rick again would be awfully helpful right now.

DOCTOR:

Do you think since there’s been a sudden power-down a maintenance core will come, Rick or not Rick? ~stays where he stands, not wanting to run into anything or scare himself~

MASTER:

It’s a possibility. ~has gotten himself used to the darkness, taking a few steps forward and brushing against the Doctor as he passes by, heading towards the exit of the room~ no use standing around doing nothing, though.

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master’s footsteps~ agreed. ~thinks for a moment before speaking again~ am I the only one that thinks that those missing panels were awfully convenient?

MASTER:

~takes a moment to answer~ well, I doubt we were _supposed_ to turn off the power… ~walking out onto the catwalk and slowing to a stop~

DOCTOR:

Yeah… ~stops near where he heard the Master stop, starting to get adjusted to the lighting~ I guess I’m just paranoid by now.

RICK:

*Hey, would you look at that!* ~a little green-eyed robot comes up from behind them on a management rail, shining a flashlight on the catwalk~ *Nice seeing you guys again. What’cha doing out here in the dark?*

DOCTOR:

Nice to see you too! ~smiles up at Rick, squinting slightly from the light~ we’re just looking for something we can use against GLaDOS; same as usual, I guess… well, there _was_ that time when—I had a different goal…

RICK:

*Yeah?* ~his light dims slightly so it’s not as harsh; looks over at the Master for a moment~

MASTER:

~shrinks back slightly against the railing of the catwalk~

DOCTOR:

Anyway, great to see you again, especially considering the fact that we can’t see where we’re going. ~glances at the Master, concerned but only showing it for a second~

MASTER:

Any chance you know a path from here that doesn’t lead us back to GLaDOS? ~asks hopefully~

RICK:

~looks to the side in thought for a moment~ *eh… I think so. But, first I’ve gotta figure out what’s shut down this section and get it fixed up.*

DOCTOR:

Sorry about that… ~chuckles awkwardly~ you know by now what happens when there are controls in the same room as me and the Master; there’s a switch in that room. ~gestures to the door to the control room area~

RICK:

*Oh, so you just turned it off? That’s… not really a problem.* ~looks over at the door when the Doctor gestures to it~ *Right; so if it’s concealment you’re after, I should show you the way out first, shouldn’t I?*

DOCTOR:

Sounds like a plan; though, if it’s not a problem, couldn’t we just leave it like this? ~doesn’t want to risk anything unless it’s necessary~

RICK:

*Uh… sure. But not for too long; I can get you out of Her range before I have to turn it on again, so no worries.* ~starts own his rail towards the broken end of the catwalk~

MASTER:

~hesitantly follows~

DOCTOR:

~follows easily, muttering to the Master once he’s close~ hey, you alright? ~having noticed how the Master seems almost wary of Rick~

MASTER:

~glances briefly at the Doctor, murmuring irritably~ I’m fine. ~pulls once on his cuffs as they pass the missing panel they had exited from~

DOCTOR:

Alright, alright; I was just concerned… ~walks a little faster for a second, catching up to Rick before falling back into his initial pace~

RICK:

~they reach the end of the catwalk where it’s broken off, and Rick shines his flashlight down~

ENVIRONMENT:

~there’s a wide pipe not too far below them, which slopes downward and continues towards the right wall, where there is a wrecked hole that looks like it might have been labeled “docking station”~

DOCTOR:

This looks familiar… didn’t Wheatley crash through the docking station in Portal 2? ~looks down to calculate his jump before doing so and successfully landing on the pipe, hoping the Master can do so despite the handcuffs~

RICK:

*What?*

MASTER:

~stops, getting down and turning so that he can grab onto the end of the catwalk when he falls, dropping down onto the pipe and looking out at the hole in the wall~ I think he did. If it’s the same, we’ll know where not to go, so that’s a bonus.

DOCTOR:

~looks up at Rick~ it’s from a parallel in which everything that happened here is a video game. The game is called Portal 2. ~walks along the pipe cautiously~

RICK:

*…still don’t get it. * ~continues down the rail, stopping in front of the opening but is unable to enter it~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor, being reminded of the fact that he almost fell off of a pipe las time he tried to walk on one~

DOCTOR:

~jumps into the opening, almost losing his balance but keeping himself from falling, the slip up only visible in his short second of panic. Turns to look at the Master, wishing the Master hadn’t insisted on the handcuffs~

MASTER:

A little help? ~knows he won’t be able to get across completely on his own, extending his hands in order to reach for the Doctor’s, as Rick speaks~

RICK:

*You two can go on through this short testing course, shouldn’t be too much trouble. I’ll meet up with you as soon as I can.*

DOCTOR:

Sure thing. And thanks, Rick. ~manages to reach the Master’s hands through slightly precarious methods, making sure he has good footing so he doesn’t end up making them both fall~

RICK:

*No problem! See you later, then.*

MASTER:

~jumps across the gap and uses the Doctor as support to pull himself over when he falls short, stumbling into the Doctor’s chest and grabbing hold of his jumpsuit to steady himself~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, trying to stifle it as he knows the Master may be annoyed with his added dependence on the Doctor, letting his hands drop to his sides when the Master lets go of them~

MASTER:

~smiles back at the Doctor, letting go of his jumpsuit and looking around the room~

ENVIRONMENT:

~there’s a room in the floor, with lots of broken glass at the bottom, including a cryosleep chamber, a toilet and a table with a clipboard along with other various things~

DOCTOR:

~looks down into the room, careful when he’s near the edge~ you see, I’d want to investigate if I had shoes on and if we didn’t already know what’s here. Do you think there’s a way around it or…?

MASTER:

Rick implied that we’d have to go through it… ~walks over to the edge, peering down~

DOCTOR:

Well… let’s see if there’s a way down that doesn’t involve cutting ourselves, then we’ll see how well we can complete tests without the boots, I guess. ~sidles around until he’s over the toilet (aka the only thing not covered in glass shards) trying to think of what few resources he has~ maybe, if I… ~drops down, landing on top of the toilet, muttering~ this could have easily been a platformer…

ANNOUNCER:

~a robotic voice other than GLaDOS’ comes through the speakers, glitching badly~ *Hello and, again, welcome… th… A-Aperture science…* ~it shorts out~

MASTER:

~lowers himself down onto the cryosleep chamber~ there _are_ two of us, which is more than there’s supposed to be in this course.

DOCTOR:

Yeah; that should help. ~looks around at the shards of glass between him and the portal in the small room~ I’m starting to think there’s no way of doing this without stepping on glass…

MASTER:

~looks over at the opened portal, carefully lowering himself down onto the floor where the glass is, stepping as lightly as possible~ well, at this point it’s almost impossible to get back out, anyway. ~takes a wide step towards the portal, wincing as he quickly bounds outisde~

DOCTOR:

There probably wasn’t an alternative route anyway. ~tries to step where there are minimal shards of glass, knowing treading lightly doesn’t mean much for him, giving up on his tactic after a few steps and just taking the longest strides possible to get through the portal, stopping for a second once he does to pull a shard of glass out of his foot~

MASTER:

~checks his feet for shards of glass, dislodging a few small pieces~ onwards, then. ~looks around briefly before heading to the door, walking into the simple cube and button based testing chamber as the announcer attempts to repeat the same dialogue for the room as they had heard in Portal 2~ that game was creepily accurate.

DOCTOR:

A lot of parallels are. ~follows the Master into the test, fully aware that his feet are bleeding but not profusely, easily picking up and placing the cube on the button~

MASTER:

~looks up into the cube dispenser briefly before heading through the door, walking over to the elevator room and looking back at the Doctor~ there may be a slight problem…

ENVIRONMENT:

~the elevator is obviously meant for just one passenger~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the elevator, seeming mildly amused~ for once me being pocket-sized probably would’ve helped… well, obviously this system has been running itself for quite a while, do you think we’d be able to go one at a time?

MASTER:

~seems unsure~ I… I don’t know… ~not wanting to get separated from the Doctor as there’s a possibility the elevator doesn’t come back~

DOCTOR:

Well could we physically fit in that space? ~walks over, thinking it might be possible though certainly uncomfortable, especially with the handcuffs~

MASTER:

~thinks for a moment, smiling slightly as he gets into the elevator and pulls the Doctor in with him, leaning back on the far wall as much as he can as he loops his arms over the Doctor’s head, pulling him into a kiss as the doors slide closed~

DOCTOR:

~kisses the Master back instantly, having to lean into the other Timelord to be sure the doors close behind him rather than on him, only backing off slightly afterwards as he can’t do more anyways, liking the excuse to be so close to the Master~

MASTER:

I honestly don’t mind the close quarters. ~smiling, comes forward to continue the kiss for a bit, the cold metal of his cuffs pressing into the back of the Doctor’s neck as the elevator comes to a gentle stop~

DOCTOR:

~breaks the kiss a few seconds after the elevator stops, grinning back at the Master, thinking it’s obvious he doesn’t mind either as the doors open, the cold metal on his neck not discomforting him enough to make him want to try to do anything about it~

MASTER:

~lifts his arms back over the Doctor’s head to allow him to step out~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the next chamber has three glass rooms with the exit, a button, and a cube in each respectively, with the blue portal moving from room to room on a timer. The orange portal is on the wall next to the entrance~

DOCTOR:

~steps out of the elevator, looking at the test~ well, this seems simple enough… still in learn the mechanics mode here.

MASTER:

We’ll just have to be careful not to walk into the chamber where the floor gives out… ~walks through the orange portal, ending up in the room with the button and stepping on it since he has nothing better to do~

DOCTOR:

~watches the blue portal, timing his step to land him in the room with the cube and pick the cube up, thinking~ I trust Rick’s judgement more than I would Wheatley’s… and not because of what GLaDOS said or the video game.

MASTER:

~looks at the Doctor through the glass, asking~ why, then?

ENVIRONMENT:

~the blue portal moves to the room with the button~

DOCTOR:

Because Rick may have been unknowing of dangers before but he’s not ignorant. He does take things into consideration. Wheatley knew Aperture and GLaDOS better than either of us and even though I _told_ him we’re the last two of a kind he repeatedly reassured us that we were safe there.

MASTER:

~walks off of the button and goes through the portal to take the cube from the Doctor, annoyed that he paused in completing the test~ at least it was a logical assumption; we _were_ on the surface. ~quickly goes back into the portal as it closes, placing the cube on the button and unlocking the exit~

DOCTOR:

~goes through the portal the next time it’s in the chamber he’s in~ but he said that GLaDOS had reached them before. ~goes through to the door when it’s available~

MASTER:

~follows after the Doctor and through the exit as soon as he’s able to, shrugging~ maybe if he was more specific, it would’ve made more sense.

DOCTOR:

I can’t blame him for not wanting to relive it… ~his gaze drops to the floor in thought as he walks, hardly paying any attention to his surroundings~

MASTER:

~finds another small elevator to the next test, nudging the Doctor to get him to focus on what they’re doing rather than the floor~ if I remember right, the next room should be where the portal gun was.

DOCTOR:

~nods, looking up from the floor and snapping out of his train of thought~ right. ~looks over to the elevator as they near it, making himself focus rather than falling back into thought~

MASTER:

~lets the Doctor get in the elevator first, quickly stepping inside after him and leaning forward, resting his head on the Doctor’s shoulder as the elevator closes and heads downward~

DOCTOR:

~smiles slightly, thinking the only thing he’ll miss once they get out of here are the free excuses to be so close to the Master~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the elevator comes to a stop and the doors open to test chamber 2, where the room to the left lacks a floor~

RICK:

~behind openings in the right wall, Rick peers in at them~ *Heya there! I’ll probably be able to knock out a few of these here panels so we can head out this way.* ~gesturing behind him~

DOCTOR:

~nods to Rick, walking over to the wall Rick’s behind to see exactly what he’s talking about, glad to not have to continue through these familiar tests~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor out of the elevator, looking around warily~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a few wall panels fold back to show a dark and mangled grey-paneled hallway at the end of which is a normal-sized elevator; however between them and the exit multiple cords hand out between the broken panels, looking idle but that doesn’t mean they’re not the moving kind~

DOCTOR:

~looks down the hallway, glancing over at the Master in a moment of hesitation before starting down the hallway, looking around himself with a level of distrust for his surroundings~

MASTER:

~hesitates a moment longer than the Doctor, taking a careful step into the hallway and looking around at the unmoving cords~

RICK:

~speaks awkwardly to break the silence~ *So, uh… anywhere in particular you want me to take you guys?*

DOCTOR:

I… actually don’t know. Master? ~looks over at the other Timelord, trying not to seem as uncomfortable as he is~

MASTER:

Yes? ~asks nervously without giving an answer, coming to a stop a few steps into the hallway as a cord next to him slithers out and wraps around his ankle, looking down at it and remaining completely still~

DOCTOR:

~stops when he sees the Master freeze, confused for a second before he turns around and sees the cord that’s wrapped around the Master’s ankle, walking over as calmly and quietly as possible as if he’s approaching a snake, which he might as well be~

MASTER:

~looks up at the Doctor, gently and hesitantly pulling his leg away from the cord, and it resists for a moment but then lets go of his ankle almost in disappointment. Gives the Doctor a reassuring glance and continues cautiously down the hallway~  


DOCTOR:

~a little surprised by how easily the Master handled the cord, walks toward the elevator again~ Rick asked where we want to go if anywhere in particular; any ideas?

MASTER:

…um… I’d say trying to get to the surface won’t be very helpful; so, any sort of place where we could do something to GLaDOS.

CORD:

~a cord hanging from the ceiling tries to curl around the Master’s arm~

MASTER:

~shrugs it away, becoming more distressed and conflicted by the minute~

DOCTOR:

Normally I’d assume that’s not common knowledge, but do you know anywhere like that, Rick? ~tries to ignore the cords and the Master’s reactions to them~

RICK:

*Like the main breaker room?* ~catches up to them~

CORDS:

~a few other cords pull playfully at the Master, one around his ankle that he doesn’t notice and ends up tripping over~

MASTER:

~falls to his knees and buries his face in his arms, ceasing his attempts at waving the cords off for the moment~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master with increasing confusion as he doesn’t seem panicked and the cords seem to almost like him~ sure, I guess, um… are you… alright, Master?

MASTER:

~meets the Doctor’s gaze in distress as one of the cords drapes itself across his shoulders~ does it look like I am? ~jerks his hands away as the cords start to get too close to his handcuffs~

DOCTOR:

~walks over, starting to try to remove the cords from the Master gently, as force hasn’t worked on them before~ sorry…

CORDS:

~strongly resist the Doctor’s pulling~

MASTER:

~sighs lightly, prying the cords away from himself easily but in the process they latch on to his cuffs, managing to unlock them both before the Master can protest, taking the handcuffs behind the panels as the rest of the cords continue to mess with the Master; he falls back and flails at them halfheartedly~

DOCTOR:

~gives up on his gentle approach, prying the cords off of the Master, starting to panic as he fully grasps what’s going on, muttering incomprehensibly under his breath as he does so~

CORDS:

~the Doctor’s attempts prove to be futile when the cords simply move back~

MASTER:

~eventually curls up in defeat, allowing the cords to wrap around him~

ENVIRONMENT:

~after a few moments the cords suddenly go dead, having been cut off from their source by a laser passing by outside the hallway~

DOCTOR:

~pulls the cords off of the Master frantically, not having stopped even when it was clear he could do nothing, panting slightly from the effort~

MASTER:

~remains curled in on himself tightly, shivering faintly against the floor~

RICK:

~comes towards them from the right end of the hallway~ *Hey, did that work? Everyone alright?*

DOCTOR:

Yeah… yeah, I think we’re okay… ~gets down on his knees, wrapping his arms around the Master’s shivering form once he’s sure he’s removed all of the cords from him~ hey… let’s get out of here…

MASTER:

~he still seems quite shaken up by what just happened, whimpering quietly with his hands gripping either side of his head~ I’m sorry, I’m sorry…

DOCTOR:

Don’t be, I should’ve known something was wrong sooner… ~rubs the Master’s back comfortingly~ I should’ve stopped it before it happened… ~sounds almost angry with himself, shaking his head and forcing his focus to remain on the Master~

MASTER:

How would you have done that? ~sighs shakily, pulling his hands down his face and staring forward, speaking softly in distraught realization~ I’m not going to be able to do this… ~his voice wavers~

DOCTOR:

~is visibly hit by the statement~ h-hey, we’ve gotten this far… I mean, just look how far we’ve come, you can’t just-… ~shakes his head, trying not to let despair channel into anger~

MASTER:

I don’t have a very strong will right now so you’ll have to, I don’t know, treat me like an animal that’s likely to run away if you want there to be any sort of chance of us going through with this. ~replies sharply, feeling he’ll need a strong tone to make it clear how serious he is about this~

DOCTOR:

~goes silent for a moment, biting back a sharp retort and thinking before speaking~ I don’t want to be your prison warden, Master, and I don’t want to be your ‘owner’… but I said I wouldn’t let you give up, so get up; we’re getting out of here.

MASTER:

~looks downward for a moment, sighing lightly~ okay. ~pushes himself off of the ground, coming to his feet and holding his arms close to himself, shamefully staring at the ground to avoid looking at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~walks toward the elevator~ come on; let’s go to-… wherever Rick said a moment ago. Oh, and Rick, thanks again… ~feels like he’s dragging everyone on his mission, trying to act as normal but feeling the need to keep an eye on the Master~

RICK:

*No problem. I’d rather be doing this than whatever work I’m supposed to do.*

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor down the hallway, doing his best to keep out of reach of the other cords~

RICK:

~stops in front of the elevator where his rail veers to the right~ *I’ll try and get this elevator on track; we’ll figure the rest out when we meet up again.*

DOCTOR:

Alright then. ~steps into the elevator, not in the mood to chuckle at Rick’s first statement, leaning against the elevator wall~

RICK:

~heads off~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor inside and the elevator doors close, but it doesn’t move just yet, leaving the Master to awkwardly avoid the Doctor’s gaze in the absence of a conversation~

DOCTOR:

So, uh… ~after a second he chuckles lightly, the action immediately cutting off as if he realizes how unfitting the action is to the current circumstances, looking down and away from the Master~

MASTER:

What? ~looks over at the Doctor in confusion, the elevator starting to move up a few moments later~

DOCTOR:

Sorry; nothing, I just chose the oddest time to remember something that really, _really_ shouldn’t have been funny. I think the only reason it was funny was the timing.

MASTER:

Well come on, now I’m interested. ~leans back on the wall of the elevator, looking across at the Doctor and smiling slightly as he finds the situation growing more comfortable~

DOCTOR:

I said “so, uh…” and my literal next thought of what to say was “end of the world.” I was legitimately about to quote you from when you took over the world as a conversation starter.

MASTER:

~laughs in genuine amusement, trailing off somewhat nervously~ at least it’s not actually the end of the world, though.

DOCTOR:

And it wasn’t then, either. ~is smiling now, looking over at the Master~ though I did visit Earth’s end of days… I decided it was a good first thing to bring one of my companions to.

MASTER:

Why bring someone to see the destruction of their home planet? ~looks almost sad for a second before asking good-humoredly~ so how did it turn out?

ENVIRONMENT:

~the doors open to a system of catwalks, around which there are glass tubes transporting testing equipment to various places~

DOCTOR:

It was a peaceful destruction—well, as peaceful as supernovas are close-range… ~chuckles~ well; it was _supposed_ to be, until little robots and a human trampoline nearly killed us all. It’s a wonder why she stayed… ~trails off thoughtfully, getting off of the wall to leave the elevator~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor out, stuffing his hands in his pockets, murmuring~ sounds fun. ~not sure if he means to sound sarcastic or not; looks around for Rick although he’s not there~

DOCTOR:

~glances around the area~ should we wait for him? Rick, I mean. The companion I was with—Rose, actually—couldn’t possibly be here for obvious reasons.

MASTER:

~looks downward in thought, eventually shaking his head~ he’ll catch up. ~focuses forward intently~

DOCTOR:

~tries not to get sucked back into his thoughts, nodding and starting down the catwalk~ we can go at least until the path splits…

RICK:

~comes around the corner hurriedly~ *Hey, wait up; this area isn’t exactly safe…*

MASTER:

~comes to a stop, looking over at Rick~

RICK:

*We’ll have to head through places she can see us if we’re going to even try to get close to that breaker room.*

DOCTOR:

~sighs, stopping as well~ great… ~shakes his head, looking at Rick~ well, at least we’re getting somewhere. Lead the way, Rick!

RICK:

*Alrighty.* ~rolls down his rail, taking a right turn onto another catwalk~

MASTER:

~hesitates a moment to follow, now keeping his head down as he walks instead of focusing in front of him, following behind the Doctor so he’s not required to look where he’s going~

DOCTOR:

~follows Rick easily, still keeping an eye on the Master to be sure things are relatively okay, trying to think of a way to strike up conversation but finding nothing he wants to talk about~

MASTER:

~makes it a point not to look at anything around him but the floor, following blindly as Rick leads them through a few twists and turns, eventually arriving at another elevator~

RICK:

*Okay, this here’s the last one before the main breaker room… I’ll try my best to make sure She doesn’t pull you off course.*

DOCTOR:

Got it. We’ll hopefully see you soon. And, if all goes well, we’ll wait for you this time. ~gives Rick a small, two-fingered salute before walking into the elevator and leaning on the wall again~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor inside quietly, looking about the elevator for a moment as the doors close before bringing his hands up to cover his ears, reverting his gaze back to the floor~

GLaDOS:

*Hello again; I bet you missed me, didn’t you?* ~her voice is sarcastic although the statement could be taken different ways~

DOCTOR:

Sorry, bitch; I’d sooner miss the Daleks than you… ~is looking up slightly to speak to GLaDOS~ in fact, I could go for a round of “save the Earth from Daleks” right about now, I’d find their yelling comforting by comparison.

GLaDOS:

*Thank you, but your input wasn’t required.* ~the elevator starts moving up~

MASTER:

~still covers his ears although they don’t block much sound~

DOCTOR:

I know one thing: that I know nothing. ~knows the attempt will be obvious if it doesn’t work, not really caring as he’ll take almost any chance he can get by now~

GLaDOS:

*Oh, come on-…* ~her connection cuts out~

MASTER:

~looks up hesitantly, taking his hands off of his ears~

DOCTOR:

~smiles over at the Master, looking like he’s on the verge of laughter~ good old Socrates! Well, it was _actually_ Plato, who frequently made things up to make his philosophical mentor seem wiser, but let’s not get technical.

MASTER:

~smiles weakly in thanks, meeting the Doctor’s gaze briefly before turning his focus to the floor again, his smile fading as he drops his hands to his sides~

DOCTOR:

~nods slightly, satisfied with the fact that the Master had a positive reaction, knowing he can’t expect too much enthusiasm from the other Timelord right now~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the elevator comes to a stop and the doors open, with Rick being just outside~

RICK:

*Ok, great! Let’s, uh* ~looks down the single catwalk that turns to the right eventually~ *Go this way, then.*

DOCTOR:

~steps out of the elevator~ yeah; I’ve stalled GLaDOS but it shouldn’t take her too long to get back online. ~starts along the catwalk, following Rick and glancing back to be sure the Master’s following~

MASTER:

~stares at his feet for a few moments, almost grudgingly, before walking briskly out of the elevator after the Doctor and looking ahead blankly as they turn the corner, nearing a pathway that’s familiar and will lead them to the breaker room~

DOCTOR:

~walks along, wishing this felt more like an adventure or mission than a prisoner escort~ so… anything interesting happen while we were gone, Rick? I mean before you found us in the dark, not just now.

RICK:

*Oh, yeah—I saw another test subject outside the tests a few days back. Only saw ‘em for a split second, though… but I know they weren’t in the regular testing getup.*

MASTER:

~seems to get suddenly attentive when the breaker room comes into view~

DOCTOR:

What were they wearing? ~looks at the breaker room as they approach it~ I mean, if you got a long enough glimpse to remember.

RICK:

*Ah… grey, I think. If that helps you at all.* ~leads them through the catwalks up to the opening, gesturing inside~ *Well here we are.*

DOCTOR:

So, Wheatley flipped them all up and She turned on in the incredible accurate game, but I’m sure flipping them _all_ down is more than what’s necessary, so… ~walks into the breaker room, thinking aloud~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor inside, looking around at the different controls, as if searching for something in particular~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the switches’ labels are tiny and hard to read, some of them written in shorthand~

DOCTOR:

~looks around at the hundreds and thousands of levers in awe, searching for anything that sounds useful though it’s impossible to see them all from where the Master and him are standing~

MASTER:

~after a few moments he glances briefly over at the Doctor, proceeding to flip two of the levers up and one of them down, one of which causes the lights to black out. He’s grinning faintly in the darkness, not moving from his original spot~

DOCTOR:

Wha-…? Master!? ~looks around, his voice accusing though he hadn’t expected anything like this from the Master considering the man’s recent dull mood~

MASTER:

Doctor. ~speaks flatly, turning around to face him although in the darkness it doesn’t have the same effect~

DOCTOR:

~turns to face where he heard the Master’s voice come from, his voice cautiously curious~ why did you turn out the lights…? ~sounds almost nervous~

MASTER:

~grins slightly at the question, remaining silent for a moment before answering quietly~ so you won’t be able to find the right lever.

DOCTOR:

~steps back, his eyes wide, his mind refusing to accept or acknowledge the Master’s answer to the point where he speaks weakly~ what? ~desperate for a different answer~

MASTER:

~walks up to the Doctor, pushing him back by his shoulders so that the switches dig into his back, speaking with cold malice~ you heard me.

DOCTOR:

~swallows to make his voice remotely steady before he speaks, looking down and to his side~ but-… Master… why? You were as afraid of this as me, we could leave, we could finally be free again…

MASTER:

I tried, I really did, but Doctor, I could never be happy with freedom the same way you wanted me to be. It’d just be pretend and I wouldn’t be able to keep that up forever… ~trails off somewhat sadly before pushing the Doctor against the wall, his tone hardening~ I just don’t care.

DOCTOR:

~looks up from the floor at the Master, meeting his gaze~ but you _do_ care, Master… and if you can learn to enjoy _this place_ of all things-… ~shakes his head, his gaze dropping as he gives up on his argument, sighing~

MASTER:

Doctor. ~glares back at him, speaking sharply and raising his voice viciously when he continues~ you mean _nothing_ to me. ~gets only somewhat quieter~ not anymore.


	14. Nothing

DOCTOR:

~looks up again as if he wants to see someone else or some indication that the Master’s joking, tears threatening to stream down his face~ M-Master… get off of me.

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor’s shoulders, leaning over to one of the levers on the wall and flicking it as he speaks~ bye. ~practically spits it out, slipping out of the room~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the floor starts moving upward, closing off where the Master had left from~

DOCTOR:

~gets off of the wall, slowly sitting and curling into a ball, his sobbing drowned out by the sound of the moving platform, lacking the ability to care about what awaits him where the platform stops as he lets himself cry over the Master’s harshly simple words~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the ceiling opens up, bringing light into the room as the platform levels out with the floor of GLaDOS’ mainframe room~

GLaDOS:

~simply turns to look at him, making no comment~

DOCTOR:

~after a moment he looks up, wiping his face with his sleeve, seeing GLaDOS and setting his head on his knees, looking at the floor again, for once not feeling the need to speak~

GLaDOS:

~after a few moments of silence She speaks up~ *I’m-… I honestly didn’t think he’d be that cruel.*

DOCTOR:

The Master… is probably the most cruel kind man I kno—knew. ~shakes his head~ doesn’t matter; he’s succumbed to whatever you did to him, I know what I can’t fix… ~his voice is still weak and shaky and he doesn’t look up to speak to GLaDOS~

GLaDOS:

*I was planning on giving the rest of your memories back sometime soon, if you’d care to move at all.* ~Her voice is gentle, knowing how broken up the Doctor must be at the moment and not wanting to push it~

DOCTOR:

I don’t care about my missing memories… lost companions, freedom, me and the Master’s standoffs from when he was a psychopath, and the remaining year of the Time War that was so bad that my mind has actually been stopping me from trying to remember it, aren’t really things I want refreshed in my mind right now; thanks.

GLaDOS:

*I’ll have to have them restored sooner or later.* ~she pauses, moving towards the Doctor slightly as if to go and nudge him, but she decides against it and backs away again~ *Is there anything that you _would_ be willing to do?*

DOCTOR:

~sighs, forcing himself to get up and face GLaDOS~ sure… better than sitting around, I guess. What are you suggesting? ~his usual spirit seems to have left him completely~

GLaDOS:

*I _was_ suggesting having your memory restored but you just declines, so at the moment I’d be suggesting a testing course or an experiment. I know it’s not ideal for you, but it’s what I do; I can’t help it.*

DOCTOR:

Eh; at least I’ll be doing something… ~his tone drops, still loud enough to be heard~ anyone who knows me knows the Doctor without a companion isn’t the best person to come by.

GLaDOS:

~she calls up a lift into the room, the doors opening for the Doctor~ *Why is that?*

DOCTOR:

Depends on who you ask; Rose would say I need a hand to hold, Martha would say I need someone to save me when I’m too busy saving others, and Donna would say I need someone to stop me. ~walks over into the elevator~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the elevator doors close, leading the Doctor downwards only a short distance~

GLaDOS:

*So you depend on others to keep you in line.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~the doors open to the beginning of a regular testing course, a portal gun on a pedestal being nearby~

DOCTOR:

Can you blame me? 910 years, access to all time and space, and the worst war of all time make it difficult to keep right and wrong straight… especially when whoever used to enforce the rules are dead… ~goes up to the gun cautiously to pick it up~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the gun doesn’t seem that dangerous; just a regular old portal gun. The sign says “01/05”; the test is a room with one elevated platform, on which a cube rests, and another room—the only entrance to it being through an emancipation grid—where the button and exit are~

DOCTOR:

~looks around the test, forcing himself to devote his thoughts and actions to the test, looking at the platform and wishing he had long-fall boots—or at least shoes~

GLaDOS:

*The enrichment center regrets to inform you that this next test is impossible.* ~speaks almost in boredom~

DOCTOR:

Well then why did you put me in here? ~sounds exasperated and done with GLaDOS’ antics, looking up to speak as he usually does, his expression blank~

GLaDOS:

~she doesn’t reply; probably something about testing protocol~

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head, looking around and shooting a portal above the elevated platform and one in the floor in front of him, estimating that the drop shouldn’t be too bad as he jumps through and lands on the platform to grab the cube and bring it to the button~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the cube gets fizzled when it goes through the emancipation grill, but when the Doctor was on the platform a small, square opening in the wall could be seen, just large enough for a portal to be shot through to the other room~

DOCTOR:

~figures it out, walking back over to reset his portals and get the cube again, shooting a portal into the other room then directly below him~

GLaDOS:

*Congratulations, you remained resolute and resourceful in an atmosphere of extreme pessimism.* ~speaks again when the test is completed, sounding relieved~ *Testing protocol can get repetitive and annoying. My apologies… I’ll try to move us on to something more interesting.*

DOCTOR:

Alright then. ~sets the cube on the button and walks through the exit and to the elevator, knowing “interesting” doesn’t mean good but figuring it will be more engaging than this past test~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the elevator takes the Doctor upward slowly, the doors opening to a plain white room~

GLaDOS:

*You may or may not remember this room. However, this will not present itself to be a problem for long.*

DOCTOR:

For long…? ~shrugs, stepping into the room and walking into it a little, looking around himself with an odd sense of deja-vu as he tries to think of what the room is~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room somehow connects to the Doctor’s mind, voicing his thoughts in quiet occasional murmurs throughout the room~

DOCTOR:

~senses the connection, looking around when he first hears the murmuring before he realizes the voices are just his thoughts, his confusion audible until he figures it out, the voices turning into purposefully meaningless thoughts and him trying to dig up his memory of this place~

GLaDOS:

*Alright, here we go. I’d prefer if you do your best to remain calm. Also, feel free to pass out.*

MENTAL:

~the Doctor’s memories start coming back to him, some faster than others but generally in chronological order, continuing through his life at a dizzying rate and showing no sign of stopping or taking it in sections~

DOCTOR:

~closes his eyes, trying to get some sort of focus on the memories but they come too fast, emotions from all across his life piling up, stumbling backwards as the process is almost painful. Stumbles and falls, blacking out about a third of the way through as he had been missing between 700 and 800 years~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when he wakes up the memories have stopped coming in, but he’s still got about half his life to remember as GLaDOS stopped the flow a minute or so after the Doctor passed out~

GLaDOS:

*Ready for some more? I’ll give you a minute if you need it.*

DOCTOR:

~blinks, taking in all the new information for a moment before nodding from where he lay, seeing no reason to get up as he’s bound to pass out again~ okay. ~looks up from the floor~ I’m ready.

MENTAL:

~the memories continue coming back when the Doctor speaks, a little slower this time and easier to manage, but still in overwhelming quantities~

DOCTOR:

~closes his eyes to focus as much as possible, lasting considerably longer this time though the level and speed at which things escalate during the Time War even before he joined combined with everything before it does make him black out eventually, but not with too much left to remember~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~he resurfaces briefly for a moment, but something in the air makes him drift off into unconsciousness again. When he does wake up fully, the Doctor is in a square room of dark grey panels, lying on a reclined chair with his ankles and upturned wrists retrained to it with metal clamps; the lights are dull but not off~

DOCTOR:

~almost instantly becomes panicked, his focus immediately brought off of his memories and to his current situation though the fact that being restrained to a chair has never ended well for him doesn’t make the situation more comfortable, glancing around frantically~

ENVIRONMENT:

~after a few moments, something moves in the blurred observation room up and to the Doctor’s right, catching his attention as it looks like a person~

DOCTOR:

~looks up at the room~ hello!? ~finds penetrating the silence almost satisfying as it’s rather tense from the Doctor’s perspective, feeling as if he’s just waiting for something bad to happen~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the figure moves out of sight, presumably leaving the observation room. After a few moments a panel in the wall in front of the Doctor moves away~

MASTER:

~steps in, his hand in the pocket of his lab coat as he nods to the Doctor, beginning to approach the other Timelord as the panel closes behind him~

DOCTOR:

~freezes, staring at the Master, hardly even breathing though he wants to run away or run towards him or argue or rant or something but finding himself unable to do anything, after a minute managing to speak in a weak, wavering voice~ I got my memories back…

MASTER:

I know. ~goes behind the Doctor’s chair, one of the wall panels moving again as he comes back around to stand beside the Doctor again, holding a few glass tubes, a timer, and a clipboard under his arm~

DOCTOR:

…Good to see you’re at least remotely okay. ~stares at the ceiling and the wall across from him, not having the heart to look the Master in the eye~

MASTER:

~a square floor panel pushes upward beside the Master, and he sets the items on it as he looks over at the Doctor~ why wouldn’t I be? ~seems almost mocking in his statement and emotionless tone; reaches into his pocket, pulling out a sharp-bladed knife~

DOCTOR:

~looks over, swallowing at the sight of the knife, his voice unsteady~ us getting separated never means anything good. ~it takes all of his willpower to keep himself together as he speaks to the Master~

MASTER:

~meets the Doctor’s gaze, holding the knife where the Doctor can see it and forming a very small grin as he speaks~ for you, maybe. ~takes a few steps toward the Doctor, holding the Doctor’s hand with his left only in order to keep the Doctor’s arm still, lowering the blade of the knife to his wrist carefully~

DOCTOR:

~grimaces as the cold, sharp blade easily cuts through his skin, hissing lightly through his teeth as his arm tenses instinctively, the action forcing a tear to come and begin to roll down his face before he wipes it away with his shoulder~

MASTER:

~cuts through a vein before withdrawing the knife from the Doctor’s wrist, letting go of the Doctor’s hand to reach over and start the timer. Sets the knife down on the elevated platform and blankly watches the Doctor’s blood spill out continuously onto the floor for a moment, then taking the glass tubes over to collect enough blood to fill them both~

DOCTOR:

~watches the Master, desperate for _his_ Master to resurface, trying to see any sign that he’s still there somewhere. Forces his expression to go blank, concealing most of his pain~

MASTER:

~caps off the vials, setting them on the panel and glancing at the timer and his clipboard, not seeming like he intends to help stop the Doctor’s bleeding. After a moment he looks up at the Doctor and walks over to him, setting a hand gently on the Doctor’s shoulder as his expression softens just slightly, watching the blood pooling on the floor~

DOCTOR:

~is starting to feel the effects of losing so much blood, not noticing that yet as a spark of desperate, flickering hope enters his expression at the Master’s actions. Knows he should, as a doctor, be more concerned about passing out from blood loss, finding he doesn’t care about that as much as seeing his Master again~

MASTER:

~meets the Doctor’s gaze, speaking softly as he finds it difficult to sound detached at the moment~ you’ll be okay. ~brushes his hand back and forth slightly across the Doctor’s shoulder before turning away and heading back to the panel-table, leaning over it to write on his clipboard, his expression hardened again~

DOCTOR:

~smiles faintly and just for a second, knowing the Master would notice anything more though mentally he feels almost revived. The Master’s still the Master; just astronomically misguided. Lets his attention drift back to his actual condition, realizing that he’s growing lightheaded~

MASTER:

~glances over at the Doctor, marking something down on his clipboard and glancing over at the timer, which shows it’s been about ten minutes so far~

DOCTOR:

~starts to get a very slight shortness of breath, looking back over at the Master and wondering if this is going to be another of those “until you pass out” tests~

MASTER:

~is watching the Doctor intently, meeting his gaze with interest as he straightens up, holding the clipboard in front of him and showing no sign of intending to help~

DOCTOR:

~sighs~ you _are_ aware that I could tell you exactly how this will roll out if you _are_ intending to let me bleed until I pass out… Don’t tell me; that wouldn’t be _science._ ~sounds exasperated~

MASTER:

Don’t mock me. ~obviously unamused, glances at the knife on the nearby table as if to subtly point out his advantage over the situation~

DOCTOR:

What are you going to do, kill me? Cut me more? You and I both know that would mess up test results. ~is rather lightheaded by now, starting to grow drowsy~

MASTER:

No… ~giving the Doctor a harsh look~ but I can switch up my plans for other tests. ~looks down at the clipboard, making one long slashing stroke across his paper~

DOCTOR:

~after a few more minutes he does pass out from blood loss, not speaking to or looking at the Master again after that exchange~

MASTER:

~quickly stops the timer and leaves his clipboard on the table when the Doctor starts to pass out, already on his way to unlocking the Doctor’s restraints in order to start working on stopping the bleeding before the Doctor goes fully unconscious~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when he wakes up again the Doctor’s still in the chair but he’s not restrained to it, with wrappings around his left wrist~

DOCTOR:

~blinks his eyes open in a daze at first before shaking his head and regaining his focus, getting out of the chair, frowning as he accidentally steps in a pool of his own blood and glancing around to see if the Master’s still there~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Master is no longer in the room, but something _is_ moving in the observation room, which is assumedly him. He seems to be pacing back and forth~

DOCTOR:

~notices the Master, figuring he’ll be down and ready to test the Doctor with something else in a matter of time, walking around to see what the room he was placed in holds, exactly~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room is completely empty apart from the chair and the window to the observation room~

MASTER:

~takes a moment to notice the Doctor is awake, standing still when he does and looking out of the window at the other Timelord~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, leaning on the back of the chair, having hoped there’d be something entertaining enough to keep him from thinking of the Master, glancing up at the window after a moment and noticing that the Master’s not only still but watching him, shrugging slightly as he figures it’s for the purpose of scientific observation and looking at the floor~

MASTER:

~after a few minutes the Master moves out of sight again~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the panels in front of the Doctor flip down, letting him move out into a hallway running parallel to the room, with multiple numbered doors on the left and right~

DOCTOR:

~walks out and looks at the different numbered doors for any indication of what they might hold, glad to have something to do~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the doors have the occasional window between them, showing darkened offices and observation rooms that are generally empty. To the right is a staircase~

GLaDOS:

*Room 322, please.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~the nearby doors are in the 310’s, so 322 must be down the left hallway~

DOCTOR:

~goes to the left compliantly, not seeing any reason to disobey Her right now, walking down the hall to 322 with a lack of enthusiasm that seems to have been constant since he got into GLaDOS’ mainframe from the breaker room~

ENVIRONMENT:

~322 is one of the rooms without a window; the door opens for the Doctor and inside is pitch black~

DOCTOR:

Oh, because being unable to see is my _favorite._ ~rolls his eyes, not sounding like he actually cares as he hesitantly steps into the room, glancing around~

ENVIRONMENT:

~something moves in the darkness, and soon enough cords are reaching out to wrap around the Doctor, pulling him deeper into the room as the door is closed~

DOCTOR:

~fights against the cords though he knows he can’t do anything to get out of them, as if he’s trying to prove something by struggling and pulling at the cords in vain in the pitch-black darkness~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the cords force the Doctor into some sort of metal surface, which begins to hum as large claw-like prongs come around to hold the Doctor in place so that the cords don’t have to hold him up. It feels like the floor is a good ways away~

DOCTOR:

~stops his struggling, looking around himself, trying to guess what’s next but not liking his guesses, starting to mentally panic though physically he does nothing because he can’t do anything~

GLaDOS:

*This shouldn’t hurt very much.* ~speaks with sarcastic reassurance~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a bunch of small somethings attach to the Doctor’s arms, head, and neck; after a moment it feels as if his life force is being drained as the machine extracts a good amount of artron energy from the Doctor’s system~

DOCTOR:

~yells in pain, struggling in his restrains though, again, resistance is futile. Knows what She’s doing in an instant and what it could do, remembering Martha saying that a drop of his blood could change the course of the universe and figuring that by now he should be more worried for himself than Time, as it’s usually self-correcting anyway~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the process ceases after a few moments, and the cords come back to help safely lower the Doctor to the ground as the claw opens up and lets him go~

DOCTOR:

~pants weakly, not fighting against the cords now, wishing constantly worrying about the Master wasn’t his mind’s default, not even trying to stay on his feet when the cords set him down, ending up sitting on his knees~

GLaDOS:  
*Thank you for your contribution.* ~she states plainly, her connection cutting out as she has nothing more to say on the matter~

DOCTOR:

Bitch! ~shakes his head, looking around himself to see where the cords put him, standing after a moment~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room is still pitch-black, but the door out into the hallway has been opened again and provides a square of light~

DOCTOR:

~walks out of the door, stumbling once but catching himself, automatically starting back toward the room with the reclined chair~

GLaDOS:

~doesn't give any directions~

ENVIRONMENT:

~as the Doctor passes by the window to room 316 it becomes noticeable that there’s someone seated at the table of what looks like a meeting room; it’s the Master, who’s folded his arms atop the table and buried his face in between them. It seems like he’s asleep~

DOCTOR:

~stops and looks through the window at the Master, smiling weakly with tears filling his eyes and staying there for a moment, not wanting to leave but still not wanting to be seen should the Master wake up~

MASTER:

~he looks completely harmless in his current state; although the odd thing is he seems much more tired than he did when the Doctor saw him last~

DOCTOR:

~hesitates for a second before opening the door as quietly as humanly possible, trying to tread lightly though his usual clumsiness on top of the physical exhaustion from the artron energy extraction make that pretty much impossible for him when he walks into the room~

MASTER:

~despite the Doctor’s noisemaking, he doesn’t stir~

ENVIRONMENT:

~upon closer inspection there seems to be a clipboard half-under the Master’s arm, with notes on it about the artron energy extraction—a checklist of two participants can be seen, with both boxes checked off~

DOCTOR:

~assumes the Master went through the extraction as well, knowing that if he didn’t fear what may happen if he goes to sleep he’d be asleep right now, hesitating the leave the room as he doesn’t want to leave the Master no matter how much he wants to want the Master gone~

MASTER:

~murmurs something quietly, sounding saddened by whatever it was he said, pulling his arms around his head just a little further in a protective manner~

DOCTOR:

What? ~freezes, realizing the Master may or may not have even known he’s there, the question having come instinctively even though it’s perfectly possible that the Master’s talking in his sleep~

MASTER:

~stirs and lifts his head from his arms when the Doctor speaks, looking over at him and seeming slightly startled at first~ oh—hello. Were you just…? ~gives the Doctor a somewhat wary look~

DOCTOR:

I— ~raises his hands slightly as if in surrender~ I just came from the artron energy extraction. And I know you don’t care but where did you expect me to go afterward, given the option? ~his almost casual expression covers the raging mess that is his emotions~ as for your question, I just got here.

MASTER:

Okay. ~sets his head back down on his arms, closing his eyes, and murmuring~ I just didn’t expect for you to be there.

DOCTOR:

~relaxes slightly~ that’s understandable. ~awkwardly leans against the wall next to the door, not knowing what to say~

MASTER:

~seems like he’s about to go right back to sleep for a moment, opening his eyes and glancing over at the Doctor almost in confusion~ aren’t you tired?

DOCTOR:

Yeah… I’ve gotten a lot done on no sleep before; It’s not like it’s too abnormal for me. ~looks at the floor, knowing the real reason he doesn’t want to sleep~ I’ll leave if you want me to let you sleep.

MASTER:

~sighs in annoyance~ no; I’m _saying_ this place is generally safe and there’s plenty of time until the next test… it would be foolish of you to go without sleep. ~trying to offer what he’s offering without seeming emotionally attached~

DOCTOR:

I guess you’re right… ~bites the inside of his lip, trying to act casually oblivious as he walks over to the table and sits across from the Master, thinking that sitting next to him would be obvious, able to sense his presence from here anyway~

MASTER:

~looks up at the Doctor briefly before nestling into his arms and closing his eyes, his breathing calm~

DOCTOR:

~rests in his own arms, closing his eyes and letting himself find the Master’s scent in the air before drifting off to sleep, grateful to not be alone~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when the Doctor wakes up the Master is still there, still asleep; raising the suspicion that may be his exhaustion wasn’t all from the loss of artron energy~

DOCTOR:

~sighs lightly, knowing the Master’s keeping something from him but finding that that’s normal. What really gets his mind working is how clear it is to him that the Master _does_ care, almost wishing he didn’t—sure, it would hurt more, but it wouldn’t fill him with hope for a future. Stands as quietly as possible to go out of the room~

MASTER:

~clumsily forces himself awake and stands, stumbling forward into the table but catching himself, almost as if the Doctor was his alarm clock~ I’m s-supposed to ~murmuring drowsily, half asleep~ go with you, for this one.

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master, curious and concerned at the same time~ alright… you sure you don’t want some more sleep if we have time? I don’t mind waiting and you look like you got four hours of sleep… though I’m pretty sure we slept at least equally…

MASTER:

~looks annoyed at the Doctor for being concerned for him, and also a little confused~ I’m fine. ~crouches down and pries a small cord away from his foot, walking around the table to the Doctor and stumbling only once. Nearly forgets his clipboard, reaching back over to grab it and face the Doctor again, hugging it to his chest~

DOCTOR:

~rolls his eyes, starting toward the door~ alright, let’s go, then. ~pretends seeing the Master clutch his clipboard like it’s the most important thing in the room doesn’t hurt, mad at himself for getting jealous over a clipboard though he knows it’s not the clipboard, it’s the science~

MASTER:

~nods, heading out into the hallway briskly and looking around for a moment, glancing back at the Doctor~ wait here a moment. ~heads toward the staircase, scaling the stairs two at a time and heading into a room to his immediate right~

DOCTOR:

~leans on the wall in the hallway, waiting for the Master as he’s asked, shaking his head to try to stop his negative thinking as he’s been fairly pessimistic as of late~

MASTER:

~comes back out of the room, having left his clipboard and lab coat behind, coming back down the stairs to the Doctor. Looks around for a moment~ okay… this way. ~walks over to an unmarked door, pushing it open and walking through a hallway on his way to an elevator~

DOCTOR:

~strides over to catch up to the Master, walking about a yard from his old friend down the hall, not trying to make conversation though the pure absence of the lab coat and clipboard make him more comfortable~

MASTER:

~glances behind him briefly before stepping into the elevator, waiting for the Doctor before having the elevator doors close, his gaze lowering~ so, I don’t know exactly what we’re supposed to be getting into here…

DOCTOR:

Have we ever? ~looks down at the floor, leaning on the wall opposite to the Master~ well, _you_ have… ~shakes his head~ still, I’m sure it’s the usual thing; pain, limits, psychological instability…

MASTER:

~the elevator moves down for a bit, and the Master looks like he’s thinking over what the Doctor said as the elevator comes to a stop~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the doors open to a room with two cryosleep chambers across from each other~

GLaDOS:  
*Hello. Please enter the cryosleep chambers.*

DOCTOR:

~looks over at the Master as if expecting for him to have a reason for this despite the fact that the Master had said he was uninformed~ aren’t those the same chambers from the beginning of all this?

MASTER:

~steps out of the elevator, observing the opened chambers~ I… think so, yes. ~hesitates a moment before heading to the one on the right, climbing into it compliantly~

DOCTOR:

~goes up to his own, looking it over before climbing in~ see you in-… however long she keeps us in cryosleep. ~shrugs, laying down completely~

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor almost sadly~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the chambers close up on their own, a telepathic connection establishing itself before any cryosleep actually happens~

DOCTOR:

~tries not to panic though he knows that telepathic connection means GLaDOS messing with his head, noticing the look the Master gave him but trying to dismiss it from his mind~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the chambers are activated a few moments later and they’re both sent into cryosleep~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when they—eventually—do wake up again, neither of them remember anything about Aperture, their original clothes have been returned to their person, and there’s a glass wall between them~

ANNOUNCER:

*Welcome to Aperture Science Laboratories. You have been in cryosleep for—2—hours. You will now begin dual testing. Your partner for the entire dual testing course is on the other side of the wall.*

DOCTOR:

~groans drowsily, getting up and looking around the room in confusion and hoping that whoever’s across the room can help him figure out what’s going on, noticing after a brief second the leather that’s wrapped around his neck~ THE HELL!?

MASTER:

~sleeps soundly until the Doctor practically shouts, jerking awake and almost tumbling out of his cryosleep chamber before catching himself, looking over at the Doctor with wide eyes~

DOCTOR:

~looks over, smiling in an apologetically embarrassed sort of way initially though that changes almost immediately to surprise and fear~ Master?

MASTER:

~grins slightly, fully realizing who he’s looking at~ ‘ello there, Doctor. ~sits up, looking around the general area~ well this is an interesting situation, now isn’t it? ~looks over at the Doctor accusingly~ what’d you do this time?

DOCTOR:

Me!? I have no clue what’s going on. The speaker said we’re in Aperture Science Laboratories and we’re partners for something called “dual testing”. And, considering I woke up with a bloody collar on, I’d say it’s pretty clear I didn’t set this up.

MASTER:

~raises his eyebrows and his hands slightly~ hey, don’t look at me, I’m just as clueless as you apparently are.

DOCTOR:

Alright then… ~sticks his hands in his pockets casually~ guess there’s no reason to be at each other’s throats over something neither of us know for sure. ~glad the wall’s keeping the Master from having the potential of trying to pull something~

MASTER:

Nah, that’s only because there’s a wall in between us. ~gets onto his feet, walking up to the glass and grinning through at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~shrinks back slightly, his eyes fixed on the Master, mumbling under his breath “then thank God for the wall” in such a way that it’s inaudible to the Master~

MASTER:

~walks away from the wall, pacing the room and quickly growing bored~ come onnn… ~walks up to the closed door expectantly and places his hands on it~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the glass wall between them slides down into the floor~

DOCTOR:

~looks between the Master and where the wall used to be, not moving as his awkward, nervous fear is made blatantly obvious by his actions~

MASTER:

~glances over at the Doctor, noticing the lack of the wall and seeming thoughtful for a moment before the voice interrupts anything he may have thought of doing~

ANNOUNCER:

*You may now begin dual testing.* ~the doors in both rooms slide open, revealing an elevator~

DOCTOR:

~walks cautiously through the doors, now looking at the elevator and the Master in turn, wondering what “dual testing” is, exactly~

MASTER:

~eagerly walks through the door, not so eager when he realizes there’s only one elevator. Awkwardly steps inside and moves to the far end of the room~

DOCTOR:

~steps into the elevator as well, standing as far from the Master as possible and keeping his gaze set on the door, the awkward silence dragging out as he fails to think of a way to start conversation~

MASTER:

~the elevator starts moving downward and the Master sinks to his knees, running his hands through his hair and holding his head, wincing as he stares at the floor~

DOCTOR:

~glances over at the Master, giving him a questioning look~ the Drums? ~trying to make the question sound casual~

MASTER:

~nods carefully, grimacing and giving a small whimper~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the doors open, showing a room with two portal guns and two sets of long fall boots~

DOCTOR:

~hesitates to move forward, feeling the need to comfort the Master but not knowing how, slowly getting out of the elevator and heading toward the gear~

MASTER:

~shaking badly, stumbles to his feet and follows after the Doctor, obviously in pain~

ANNOUNCER:

*Please acquire your Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device and Aperture Science Long Fall Boots.*

MASTER:

~attempts to at least pick up the gear to look over it, but his hands come back to his head and he stops whatever he was doing~

DOCTOR:

~looks over at the Master while he’s putting the long fall boots on, getting deeply concerned and standing after he’s gotten them both on~ …can I help? Or, try, at least?

MASTER:

~glances up at the Doctor, looking desperate as he nods hesitantly, trying to hide most of the pain from his expression~

DOCTOR:

~steps up to the Master, hesitating before bringing his hands to either side of the Master’s head and touches his forehead to the other Timelord’s, grimacing himself as he hears the drums upon establishing a telepathic link, not jumping away as he had done instantly last time~

MASTER:

~seems slightly comforted by the Doctor’s telepathic presence alone, however the drums are deafeningly loud; before he really notices he was leaning forward, they’ve touched noses too~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t even realize what’s happening physically, trying to bring the drums down to a manageable volume level for the Master~

MASTER:

~the Doctor’s met with some resistance, like something from an unknown third party, and not the drums themselves; eventually the volume does lower. The Master drifts forward mindlessly, his lips brushing lightly against the Doctor’s before he realizes his actions, stumbling back away from the Doctor’s hands, blushing darkly in flustered embarrassment~

DOCTOR:

~blushes as well though not to the degree the Master has, smiling slightly and turning his attention to his portal gun in order to act as if nothing happened~ well, I, uh, ~clears his throat~ hope that helped…

MASTER:

Yes, yes it did. ~is so insistent that he sounds almost angered about it, shoving his feet into the long fall boots and nearly tripping over himself in the process~

DOCTOR:

Good. ~picks up his portal gun, looking over it more than necessary as to not watch the Master as he waits for him~

MASTER:

~picks up the portal gun and looks at it for a moment, then glares at the ground as he speaks quietly~ I didn’t mean to do that.

DOCTOR:

~looks over at the Master, shrugging~ I know; I was in your thoughts, remember? The drums were deafening, there’s no way you could have focused enough for that.

MASTER:

~shrugs off the topic, messing with the portal gun for a moment and shooting onto a nearby wall, shooting a second right next to it and going to stand halfway in, halfway out, looking across at himself~ well this isn’t trippy at all.

DOCTOR:

~looks at how the portals work curiously, chuckling at the Master’s comment and thinking that maybe working with his old frienemy won’t be as bad as he initially thought, shooting one of his portals on the wall next to him and the other across the room from him and walking through, the action a little disorienting~

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor, smiling slightly as he steps out of the portals and shoots one above the Doctor and one below~

DOCTOR:

~yelps in surprise, falling through a few times before he manages to latch onto the floor, scowling at the Master as he tries to climb out~

MASTER:

~walks over, pulling off the Doctor’s left shoe before he climbs out of the portal and running to the opposite side of the room with it, laughing~

DOCTOR:

~gets to his feet, rolling his eyes~ real mature, Master. ~shoots a portal next to the Master and another in the nearest wall, walking through and looking at the Master with an exasperated expression~ give me my shoe back.

MASTER:

~hands it back after a moment, chuckling~ oh, fine. It was still funny, though.

DOCTOR:

~puts his shoe back on, letting himself give a slight smile~ yeah, I guess it was.

ANNOUNCER:

*You may now begin the cooperative testing course.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~a door opens and revels two more elevators~

MASTER:

~is less hesitant this time to get inside one of them~

DOCTOR:

~goes into the other elevator easily, expecting to be put into the same test as the Master~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the elevators close and move downward, opening side by side in a test that consists of two hallways separated by a glass wall, occasionally blocked off by panels that show a connection to a button on the opposite side of the glass~

DOCTOR:

~walks out of the elevator, brushing his arm against his side as he does so, grimacing and stopping to slide his sleeve down to see a mildly reddened bandage~ what the-…

MASTER:

~walks out of his elevator, on the opposite side of the glass~ what is it? ~having heard the Doctor’s comment~

DOCTOR:

~lifts his arm, letting the Master see the bandaging around his wrist~ the cut feels relatively new, too. ~looks worriedly perplexed~

MASTER:

~gives the Doctor’s bandages a confused look, eventually concluding~ well I know I didn’t do it. Maybe some sort of specimen was taken… ~looks down to pull up the sleeve of his left arm, finding a bandage there, too; nods~ must be it.

DOCTOR:

It doesn’t look or feel like it was a needle though; you don’t cut a vein for blood to test, you cut a vein to bleed someone dry.

MASTER:

I don’t kn—

VOICE:

*Of course you don’t.*

MASTER:

~stops, looking upwards out of surprise for the voice’s sudden involvement with the conversation~

DOCTOR:

~looks up as well, shrugging after a second~ I’m going to look over at least mine after this test, see if I can determine exactly what happened as far as my wrist’s concerned. ~turns to look down the hall~ let’s just get through this first.

MASTER:

~nods and walks up to the blockade in his hallway, looking across at the button in the Doctor’s hallway and then calling to him~ looks like it’s your go.

DOCTOR:

~presses the button, feeling as if it shouldn’t be this simple but shrugging as the blockade lowers for the Master~

VOICE:

*Measuring subject #453’s weight…*

MASTER:

~walks through, giving an upward, questioning glance before walking over to the next button and stepping on it for the Doctor~

VOICE:

*Measuring subject #146’s weight… weights do not match up.* ~the voice pauses, continuing teasingly~ *But subjects do.*

DOCTOR:

Did it just…? ~shakes his head~ it’s probably referring to the fact that we’re Timelords, but is it just me or did _it_ sound like it had a personality there?

MASTER:

~staying on the button to wait for the Doctor, shrugs~ a little. But I’m not sure an AI would be a good or a bad thing in our current situation.

DOCTOR:

~goes to the newly available button, pressing it for the Master~ I’m sure it’d be good; an AI you can reason with, anything else purely does its job which is inconvenient and _far_ less interesting.

VOICE:

*Calculating subject #453’s tenacity levels…*

MASTER:

~as he begins to head through, the test modifies itself so that the exit is right there, getting rid of the Doctor’s next blockade and the button for the Master to stand on~

VOICE:

*We’ll be skipping this next part, if you don’t mind.*

DOCTOR:

~shrugs~ so, two questions… ~looks up to address the voice~ can you hear me and do you have a name? ~walks up to the exit~

VOICE:

*Your voice is quite literally impossible to ignore, I’m afraid. As for introductions, I am Genetic Lifeform and Disk Operating System, or GLaDOS if you prefer. Although I seem to remember being called “bitch” on multiple occasions.* ~her last statement is accusing; then turns smug~ *Though, you wouldn’t know. Would you?*

DOCTOR:

~looks confused~ um, no, I wouldn’t… well, hello then, GLaDOS… ~finds her behavior rather odd, going through the exit~ sorry someone was so rude, I guess; I don’t know what you did to deserve it but no one should stoop to cursing and name-calling.

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor through the exit, glaring upward untrustingly as they approach another elevator~

GLaDOS:

*They really shouldn’t.* ~agreeing almost too insistently~

MASTER:

~steps into the elevator and speaks defensively, folding his arms~ what’s that supposed to mean?

DOCTOR:

Do pardon me… colleague, he’s a bit low in social skills. ~looks over at the Master~ yes, Her tone’s odd, but I’d bet that if we want to get out of here she’s the one we ask. Might as well _try_ to get along.

MASTER:

Colleague? ~looks disbelieving for a moment before realizing that there’s probably no better word to describe their relationship in this situation, leaning back on the wall~ alright, fine.

GLaDOS:

~the elevator starts moving up; GLaDOS speaks curiously~ *Do you think asking me is going to work, Doctor?*

DOCTOR:

Honestly? No; you want us here for some reason or we wouldn’t be here. ~leans on the wall opposite to the Master~ but I do think you know what’s going on better than me or the Master, and I know something’s off.

GLaDOS:

~the elevator shudders~ *There’s no reason why I _wouldn’t_ want to hold onto the last two of a species.* ~the elevator slows and changes direction, going back down further than it had gone up~

DOCTOR:

And there’s that off knowledge again; I never told you we were the last. ~mentally dismisses the change in direction~

GLaDOS:

*Well, considering you want to know what’s going on, you’ll probably like where I’m taking you.*

ENVIRONMENT:

~the lift finally comes to a stop, the doors opening to a room where the TARDIS sits in the center~

TARDIS:

~she is surprised by the Doctor’s presence and greets him enthusiastically~

DOCTOR:

~seems to instantly be put into an excellent mood, striding up to the TARDIS~ hey old girl, miss me? ~smiles, opening the TARDIS door~ the Master’s here too… ~mentally opens his thoughts and memories to the TARDIS, reassuring her that the Master hasn’t tried anything terribly bad yet~

TARDIS:

~her spirits suddenly sink, and she looks through the Doctor’s mind, growing more distressed by what she finds~

MASTER:

~comes up to the doorway~ how come the TARDIS is here—hey! ~steps back when she tries to rifle through his memories too, pushing her connection away~

DOCTOR:

What is it? ~speaks in a soft, concerned tone~ do you know what’s been going on? ~his hand in on the other door that remains closed as one would put a hand on someone’s shoulder to comfort them~

TARDIS:

~the console room lights dim as she tries desperately to communicate something to the Doctor in the form of a memory, the only thing managing to come through is a short moment in which the Master kisses the Doctor in the hallway of the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~blushes deeply, looking down to the floor, knowing this has to have happened for her to get it back to him in such detail—heck, she must have analyzed it. Glances very briefly at the Master, his gaze immediately dropping back to the floor~ so… was our memory wiped or something? Because I have a feeling I’d remember… that.

TARDIS:

~replies in hesitant affirmation~

MASTER:

~takes a step forward when the Doctor speaks, knowing that the Doctor knows something he doesn’t~ wait, what? What happened?

DOCTOR:

Someone—I’ll assume GLaDOS—wiped our memories of what seems like an awful lot; it has to have been a lot, or else the TARDIS wouldn’t be so upset. ~doesn’t look at the Master as he speaks, seeming determined to watch the floor~

GLaDOS:

* _There_ we go! You figured it out. Congratulations. As a reward, I’ll let you have it all back.* ~she sounds almost devious about it, allowing for the TARDIS to carry out the task~

TARDIS:

~connects to the Master too before happily beginning to return the memories, in gradual, manageable pieces~

DOCTOR:

~leans against the railing of the TARDIS, easily allowing for her to give him his memories back, fine at first with the initial happenings and his first bout of hatred towards GLaDOS~

MASTER:

~sinks to the floor to focus more on the memories than standing, keeping his reactions to himself but eventually he starts looking like he feels guilty about something~

DOCTOR:

~leans against the railing, his expression neutral until they get to the mainframe Master, which makes him look afraid and discomforted for the entire sequence of memories with the Master while he’s partially robotic, having to hold back tears during portions of that and actually failing to do so from time to time~

TARDIS:

~starts moving things along a bit faster, not wanting to have the Doctor cry over these things as she feels it’s necessary for him to remember them, mentally comforting him~

DOCTOR:

~seems to be okay after the Master being dead is over, figuring it can’t get worse than that as he regains his memory—they took a disk off GLaDOS, Jack helped but was returned to Torchwood, he was shot in the ankle, he saved Theta, they went back to Aperture, then things went rapidly downhill. Ends up sitting as well, setting his arms on his knees and nestling his face in his arms~

MASTER:

~seems to finish up a little bit before the Doctor, giving the Doctor a somewhat shocked, distressed look~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t look up, curled up and sat down and not moving even after he’s done retrieving all of his memories~

MASTER:

Doctor? ~his voice seems somewhat panicked~ Doctor, I-… ~starts to crawl towards him, then stops, hanging his head~

DOCTOR:

~lifts his head a little, knowing it’s clear he’s been crying~ you what, Master? ~his weak tone sounds almost angered though the faintest spark of hope has entered his eyes and he looks more desperate than mad~

 


	15. Escape

MASTER:

I’m… ~sits upright, looking at the floor in a moment of hesitation before meeting the Doctor’s gaze~ I’m sorry.

DOCTOR:

~lifts his head the rest of the way, as if trying to make sure the Master means it before practically tackling the other Timelord though without sending them both to the ground, hugging him~ damn you…

MASTER:

~is caught by surprise, taking a moment to wrap his arms around the Doctor to return the hug~ …I really fucked it up this time, didn’t I? ~speaks sadly~

DOCTOR:

It’s alright… we’re all trying our hardest. ~rubs the Master’s back comfortingly~ just… don’t do that to me again. ~his voice cracks at the end of his request~

MASTER:

~tightens his hold slightly~ okay. ~rests his head on the Doctor’s shoulder, relaxing as he realizes how much better things feel now that they’ve made amends~

DOCTOR:

~closes his eyes for a moment, just taking everything in before loosening his grip slightly to allow the Master to end the embrace if he so chooses~

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor when his grip loosens, dropping his gaze to the floor~ shall we see if we can use the TARDIS, since she’s here?

DOCTOR:

Yeah, sure, uh… ~stands up, finally closing the TARDIS door and heading toward the console~ where should we go?

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room shakes, and there’s a brief static from GLaDOS’ connection~

MASTER:

~pauses and looks upward~ I guess trying to find whatever that was would be a start.

DOCTOR:

I’d say it felt like She was moving the room if there wasn’t static… I feel like this happened before and she said she had to take care of something… I guess I had something better to worry about at the time. ~goes up to the monitor, setting it to show what’s right outside of the TARDIS~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room is the same as before, occasionally shuddering like the elevator had previously~

MASTER:

I must not have been there.

DOCTOR:

And there’s the something better to worry about. Speaking of which, is that bandage on your wrist really there solely to lower suspicions? ~looks at the monitor in confusion as it really looks like She’s just moving the room~

MASTER:

~holds his left arm closer to himself protectively, glancing downward and taking a moment to answer~ um… no.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the shuddering becomes less frequent and eventually stops~

DOCTOR:

~nods understandingly~ well I have no idea where to go to figure out what that was. It really did look like she just moved the room.

GLaDOS:

*My apologies. I’ve got some problems to fix with the facility’s structural stability; unwanted bits of trash moving around and breaking things. Nothing you need to worry about.*

DOCTOR:

~glances over at the Master~ I’m going to just make a wild guess and say she means the Timelord prototypes are getting out of hand, considering actual trash doesn’t generally move around and break things.

MASTER:

I doubt she’d call them unwanted… ~looks thoughtful for a moment, then shakes his head slightly, still holding his left wrist close to himself~ if we can’t find the source, maybe we can see if we could find that person Rick was talking about being outside the tests.

DOCTOR:

The subject in grey… sounds good. ~turns back to the console, mentally asking the TARDIS to scan the area for life~ might as well start around here…

TARDIS:

~she happily complies, taking a brief moment to do a search and the results come up on the monitor. There’s a room nearby with many, many immobile lifeforms, a few moving around slightly at a similar depth and another life form further down that’s moving rather quickly—heading unpredictably in multiple different directions~

DOCTOR:

So; what looks like another room of cryosleep chambers, some people walking around, and someone who, from this perspective, looks like they’re losing their mind. ~shrugs slightly, setting their coordinates to land near the fast-moving life form~ I’d say the last one’s our most interesting choice at least.

MASTER:

~chuckles briefly, stopping himself as he questions whether or not was an appropriate response~ I’ll agree with you on that one.

DOCTOR:

~falters slightly, the Master’s response reminding him that there is one problem that has just returned, pulling the lever to send the TARDIS into flight and starting to run about the console with his usual flamboyance~

TARDIS:

~she has a little trouble landing, having to find somewhere that she _can_ land, eventually materializing on top of a rectangular chamber~

ENVIRONMENT:

~there are many tubes transporting testing equipment in the general vicinity~

DOCTOR:

~goes up to the TARDIS doors, opening one to find that they’re on top of the chamber~ must be an elaborate test…

MASTER:

~comes up behind the Doctor to try and see around him~

ENVIRONMENT:

~something larger than the standard testing equipment flies by in the nearest tube—a person, who looked like they were wearing grey, and possibly had brown hair. They look over at the TARDIS but they’re moving too fast to be properly recognized~

DOCTOR:

Alright; not what I expected, I’ll give them that! ~steps out of the TARDIS fully to see where the tube leads~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor out quickly~ where are they-

SUBJECT:

~the tube goes down and leads beside the rectangular platform, where the subject latches onto the side of the tube, quickly smashing through the glass before any of the testing equipment collides with them; she pulls herself out of the tube and climbs out onto the platform~

DOCTOR:

Alright; does everyone here have the strength of a bloody Martian warrior but us!? ~shakes his head, running to the end of the chamber’s roof, waving to the person~ hey!

CHELL:

~gets up into a standing position, smiling slightly at the Doctor’s statement before putting something into her knapsack, looking around to take note of her surroundings before meeting the Doctor’s gaze more seriously~

DOCTOR:

 _That_ would explain a lot! ~it clicks in his head that Chell has somehow ended up back in Aperture~ how’d you end up here, though!? Hold up—we’ll come over! ~turns back to the Master and the TARDIS to run back inside and set her to land near Chell~

MASTER:

~quickly follows the Doctor back inside the TARDIS, asking~ who was it? Do you know them?

DOCTOR:

Chell! Of course _she’d_ be running around breaking through plexiglass. ~grabs the lever, sending the TARDIS into flight~

MASTER:

Why would she be back in Aperture…? ~seems to be asking himself more than the Doctor, heading to the doors first this time~

CHELL:

~is waiting for them outside, sitting down on the ground and mixing something together in a spice jar with her knapsack next to her~

DOCTOR:

~goes out of the doors behind the Master, closing the doors behind him and looking over at Chell seriously~ so; what happened?

CHELL:

I came back. ~looks gravely serious, stuffing a cloth into the spice jar and putting its cap back on, pocketing the homemade explosive as she gets to her feet and looks over at the broken tube that’s gushing air~

DOCTOR:

Well this makes a lot more sense, at least… so; whatever you’re doing, is there any way we can help? ~knows there’s no way Chell would come back willingly without a mission, wondering how she could choose to come back either way~

CHELL:

~thinks for a brief moment, decisively shaking her head and giving them an accusing glance, as if saying it’s their fault things got this bad. Picks up her knapsack and pulls it over her shoulders, looking like she’s about ready to climb back into the tube~

DOCTOR:

~his gaze drops to the floor, understanding Chell’s glance~ sorry about that… ~looks back up when he sees her about to leave~ oh; before you go, there’s a maintenance core you might recognize named Rick. He has a green optic and he’s extremely helpful if you ever need to find someplace.

MASTER:

~glances downward quickly, looking sheepish~ um, actually… eh…

CHELL:

~pauses, not really acknowledging the Master, and turns toward the TARDIS to tilt her head in an inquisitive manner, looking like she’s developing a plan~

DOCTOR:

~looks over at the Master~ what is it? ~it takes all of his control to make it sound like a curious question rather than a “what in Hell did you do?”~

MASTER:

~looks up at the Doctor very briefly, speaking quietly~ I can fix it later.

CHELL:

~takes a step forward, gesturing to the TARDIS, her inquiry feeling louder now even though she isn’t using any words~

DOCTOR:

~nods to the Master before looking to Chell~ oh, the TARDIS? She can take you anywhere, as long as I know the coordinates; the only catch being GLaDOS can see us in there and She can’t steer the TARDIS but She can break her. ~supplies all the information he finds necessary as he’s not sure what Chell is asking~

CHELL:

~thinks for a moment, giving a short nod and walking confidently towards the TARDIS, opening the door and not seeming disoriented much at all by the interior when she walks inside and looks around cautiously~

DOCTOR:

~follows Chell in, mentally greeting the TARDIS and supplying her with an explanation for who this is, walking up to and leaning against the console as he lets Chell look around~

CHELL:

~doesn’t take long to look around, looking back at the Doctor expectantly~

TARDIS:

~helps him out by informing him that Chell wants to know how to get to a certain part of Aperture by flight~

MASTER:

~walks in a bit later, finding this whole situation a bit awkward~

DOCTOR:

Alright, well, I’ll need to know the coordinates or at least where we’re trying to get… ~walks around to the keyboard and monitor~ then I’d put the coordinates in or ask the TARDIS to scan the area for something if it’s nearby and then send the TARDIS into flight…

CHELL:

~follows the Doctor up to the console and takes a peek at the monitor~

TARDIS:

~displays a rough map of the surrounding area in a half-mile radius~

CHELL:

~goes to point to something on the monitor~

GLaDOS:

*Oh, it’s you again.* ~she sounds deeply unenthusiastic~ *Well that explains a lot. I thought we had made a deal… at least I know I made one; never could be sure with you.*

DOCTOR:

~makes the monitor zoom in on the area Chell gestured to to be sure he lands in the right vicinity and so Chell can know for sure the rough layout of the place~ I can’t know for sure but I’d guess you became a threat when you pulled the Master and I from Eaden.

CHELL:

~nods, affirming the Doctor’s statement as well as the precise location~

GLaDOS:

*I didn’t go near any of those humans you seem to like so much, and I couldn’t just let the two of you off the hook; you’re not human anyway, so you shouldn’t count.*

DOCTOR:

I never took you for the racist type, GLaDOS. ~sets the coordinates for the indicated location, putting his hand on the takeoff lever and glancing over at Chell~ you might want to hold on to something. ~seems to doubt that that will be necessary~

CHELL:

~rolls her eyes slightly in response, looking eager~

GLaDOS:

*Oh don’t tell me you’re helping _her._ *

DOCTOR:

What can I say; the enemy of my enemy is my friend. ~pulls the lever, grinning as he runs about to fly the TARDIS~

TARDIS:

~despite the fact that GLaDOS is obviously against them doing this, the TARDIS’ flight isn’t interrupted at all~

CHELL:

~when the TARDIS lands, she jogs to the doors and looks outside, smiling after a moment and pulling the spice jar out of her pocket~

DOCTOR:

~watches from the console, not wanting to get in the way of whatever she’s doing and knowing the TARDIS shields will block any explosion~

CHELL:

~glances back at the Doctor, speaking clearly~ can she take a hit? ~referring to the TARDIS, holding the spice jar in clear view~

DOCTOR:

The shields should hold, yes. ~smiles out of pride and a certain amount of added respect for Chell as she referred to the TARDIS as a being~

CHELL:

~nods back with a small smile, stepping out of the TARDIS into what looks like a room that helps generate power, and after a few seconds she comes jogging back in, closing the door and waiting until there’s the sound of an explosion, opening the door slightly to peer back out~

DOCTOR:

~wonders exactly what’s being accomplished, not really caring as he knows it’s against GLaDOS and he feels as if he owes Chell, not moving away from the console~

CHELL:

~smiles triumphantly, closing the door again and looking over at the Doctor before making her way back to the console to look at the monitor, holding up a finger to indicate she has one more place she needs to go~

MASTER:

~walks over to the doors, peering outside curiously at the wreckage~

DOCTOR:

~zooms the monitor’s map back out, stepping aside to allow Chell to access it, glad whatever Chell’s plan is seems to be working~

CHELL:

~points directly to GLaDOS’ mainframe room, her gesture not really needing to be more specific than it already is~

DOCTOR:

Alright. Master, close the door, please. ~puts in the all-too familiar coordinates to GLaDOS’ mainframe, pulling the takeoff lever without a moment’s hesitation, suddenly looking determined for this partially unknown goal~

MASTER:

~closes the doors as requested, holding onto the railing when the TARDIS takes off~

CHELL:

~runs over to the doors when the TARDIS lands, looking over her shoulder to gesture to the Doctor for him to stay before heading outside, and closing the door behind her~

DOCTOR:

~sets the monitor to display what’s going on outside, not wanting to go against Chell but still wanting to see what’s going on, glancing up from the screen at the Master~ want to see the showdown in the lion’s den?

MASTER:

~looks up~ what? Oh, sure. ~comes over to the console to watch~

GLaDOS:

~looks weakened already, with the lights in the room dimmed slightly~

CHELL:

~walks right up to the AI~

GLaDOS:

~speaks almost desperately~ *You promised to leave me alone…*

DOCTOR:

~furrows his eyebrows as if in confusion before connecting the dots, nodding slightly when he does~

GLaDOS:

~perks up slightly, her voice hopeful~ *How about this… you let me live, I let you live. Fair trade?*

CHELL:

~reaches into her bag, pulling out something too small to be recognized, and starts heading to the right and out of the TARDIS’ view~

GLaDOS:

~turns to watch her~ *What are you doing-*

DOCTOR:

Chell’s going to stop at nothing to protect that town… ~sounds almost in awe, watching GLaDOS for a clue as to what Chell’s doing, a mixture of pity for the mechanical monster and satisfied revenge competing in his mind~

WHEATLEY:

Heeeee—llo again mate! It’s, heh, great to see you? If I _was_ seeing you, which I’m not really; talking, just talking. ~Wheatley’s voice comes into the room~ Aaand I’ll gladly talk your ears off! That’s, that’s if you had ears. Never mind…

CHELL:

~as he’s talking, Chell comes back over behind GLaDOS, who seems to only have enough power to focus on one thing—which happens to be Wheatley~

DOCTOR:

~laughs lightly at Wheatley’s blatantly obvious distraction as he watches the minor chaos that is this interaction, wondering where Wheatley is, exactly~

MASTER:

~seems distracted by something~

GLaDOS:

*Oh, God, not _him_ again…*

WHEATLEY:

~continues~ yeah anyway, sorry for all that, _stuff_ that happened a while back—but! Don’t worry! Heh, Chell’s got it all figured out. Assuming she’s stuck by the plan—is the plan still, eh, on track? I’d assume so, cuz I’m connected and all, but you know, a word of reassurance would be nice.

CHELL:

~gets underneath GLaDOS, jumping up and latching onto the AI~

GLaDOS:

~ducks down under the unexpected weight~ *Hey, get off-!*

DOCTOR:

~watches the monitor intently, not noticing the Master’s lack of focus, realizing how perfectly Chell and Wheatley work together~

WHEATLEY:

Ah, there we go! Not the sort of response I expected but good enough! It counts!

CHELL:

~swings herself up on top of GLaDOS, straddling Her for a moment in order to put two fingers in her mouth and whistle loudly, which Wheatley takes as a cue to stop talking. Chell breaks through a group of wires with wire cutters from her bag, and GLaDOS goes limp~

DOCTOR:

So basically our plan but they actually succeeded. ~shrugs, easily accepting his own statement and expecting for Chell to come back to the TARDIS, the weight of what just happened not yet hitting him~

MASTER:

~shakes his head slightly to clear it, looking at the monitor and GLaDOS’ limp form disbelievingly~ is it… is it over then?

CHELL:

~searches around the mainframe for a few more minutes, finding something before she slides off of the mainframe with a small grin, holding a disk as she comes back into the TARDIS, stopping a moment to catch her breath~

DOCTOR:

~a wide, disbelieving smile spreads across his face~ I think… I think it might be… ~looks over at Chell, as if she’s the last determining factor~

CHELL:

~straightens up, walking over to the Doctor and holding the disk, which says “Caroline” on it~ I did make a promise. ~speaks seriously, pushing in between the two Timelords to get to the monitor, getting back to the map of Aperture and searching through it before selecting an area where there are two rows of lifeforms in a generally small room, probably only housing about 40 people~

DOCTOR:

~sets the coordinates for the area, assuming Chell wants to go there~ we know what happened; we played the game. ~goes to pull the takeoff lever, glancing at Chell to be sure he assumed correctly~

CHELL:

~gives the Doctor a perplexed look, nodding to affirm that he interpreted her request correctly. She moves out of the way and observes the disk in her hand~

MASTER:

~comes forward to hug the Doctor tightly from behind~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, closing his eyes for a second responsively before pulling the lever and sending the TARDIS into flight, using the nearby controls as running around is truly unnecessary~

MASTER:

~his grip loosens as the TARDIS lands, letting the Doctor go~

CHELL:

~strides over to the doors, pulling a folded up blanket out of her pack before exiting the TARDIS, leaving the door open as a gesture saying it’s okay for them to follow~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they’ve landed in a place similar to where the semi-Timelords were kept, but much smaller; the TARDIS is on a catwalk which leads to the wall~

DOCTOR:

~follows Chell at a slower pace, glancing back briefly as he goes through the TARDIS doors to see if the Master is coming~

MASTER:

~quickly follows the Doctor out, looking around at the pods with various people in them curiously~

CHELL:

~where the catwalk meets the wall is a monitor, which Chell strides up to and inserts the disk~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the monitor turns on, displaying the words ‘searching…’ and then ‘match found’~

DOCTOR:

…Caroline…? ~looks around himself for movement amongst the pods, seeming to have a guess as to what’s going on~

CHELL:

~the monitor displays a climbing percentage for a minute or so and Chell unfolds her blanket, setting her pack down as the monitor displays 100%~

ENVIRONMENT:

~one of the pods—about six away from their current location—opens up and a person covered in some sort of green substance collapses out of it~

CHELL:

~hurries over to help them sit up, wrapping the blanket around them as they aren’t exactly clothed~

DOCTOR:

~looks over as Chell cares for the person, smiling as he understands what’s going on, wondering exactly how much humanity Caroline holds~

WOMAN:

~the woman looks over at the Doctor and the Master, suddenly burying her face in her hands and beginning to sob~

CHELL:

~tries her best to comfort her, getting onto her knees and rubbing the woman’s back comfortingly~

MASTER:

~looks conflicted, as if he doesn’t know how to feel about this whole thing~

DOCTOR:

~appears to have no clue what to do in the given situation, given the fact that he’s pretty sure GLaDOS is the one sobbing in front of them~

MASTER:

~glances over at the Doctor, seeming indecisive for a moment before slowly making his way over to Chell and Caroline~

CAROLINE:

~looking like she’s beginning to pull herself together~

DOCTOR:

~closely follows the Master to Chell and Caroline, looking at the pair and wondering who of the four of them will speak first~

CAROLINE:

~smiles faintly up at the two of them, holding the blanket around herself and shaking slightly~ I… ~looks at the floor~ I don’t deserve this at all… ~her voice is the same, except without robotic filters over it~ I’m sorry.

DOCTOR:

~hesitates as if he doesn’t want to forgive Her, looking at the floor and sighing~ it’s alright… we saw the prototypes, there was no way for you to go against what they programmed. ~looks at Caroline, smiling slightly~ what matters is that we’re all okay to a certain extent.

CAROLINE:

~chuckles lightly, after a moment trying to get to her feet~

CHELL:

~stands up to help her as Caroline stumbles a little. Chell looks over at the Doctor in a semi-glare as if saying he should offer to help; Caroline is harmless like this, anyway~

DOCTOR:

~awkwardly steps up to stand on the other side of Caroline and offer help in the silent sort of way he got accustomed to with the Master~

CHELL:

~rolls her eyes and begins leading Caroline down the catwalk, gesturing to the TARDIS as she does so to make it more clear exactly what kind of help is needed~

MASTER:

~steps out of the way to let them through~

DOCTOR:

~nods, jogging over to open the TARDIS doors though he doesn’t particularly like the idea of letting Caroline in, feeling as if he owes it to Chell to do this~

CAROLINE:

~eventually is walking on her own, with Chell following behind. She steps into the TARDIS~

CHELL:

~nods to the Doctor before following her in~ thanks.

MASTER:

~catches up last, looking at the Doctor and stopping outside the door to talk to him quietly~ any clue what’s expected of us right now?

DOCTOR:

Well, beyond basic courtesy I can’t see any place left to go but Eaden… I’ll ask. ~walks into the TARDIS, looking at Chell~ so; to Eaden? ..or do we have to pick Wheatley up first?

CHELL:

~shakes her head~ he used Foxglove.

CAROLINE:

~turns to Chell in surprise, tightly gripping her blanket~ so _now_ you speak…

MASTER:

~steps inside behind the Doctor, closing the door~

DOCTOR:

~walks over to the console and sets coordinates for Eaden, glancing over at Caroline~ you know, I have an immense wardrobe if you want to walk into town with more than a blanket.

CAROLINE:

~she looks over at the Doctor and nods slightly~ thank you… I know where it is. ~she turns to head into the hallway~

CHELL:

~hesitates a moment before following her~

DOCTOR:

No problem. ~puts the stabilizers on just this once out of courtesy toward Caroline before sending the TARDIS into flight, leaving the breaks on for the satisfaction of the noise as he pulls the takeoff lever~

MASTER:

~winces slightly for a brief moment before walking up to the console with a smile, standing closely beside the Doctor and gently resting his head on the other Timelord’s shoulder~

DOCTOR:

~seems to suddenly remember the remaining problem, glancing at the Master apologetically as he flies the TARDIS~

MASTER:

~meets the Doctor’s gaze, murmuring~ I’m fine. ~nuzzles the Doctor’s shoulder slightly, not moving even after the TARDIS lands~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, not minding that the Master hasn’t moved as they’re not obliged to move until Chell and Caroline come back~

MASTER:

~brings his arm around the Doctor’s waist, closing his eyes as they wait for Caroline and Chell~

~•~

CAROLINE:

~walks back into the console room wearing a simple white dress and a yellow bandana knotted around her neck, having cleaned up the green substance she had been covered in earlier~ sorry we took so long.

DOCTOR:

~looks up from the console and at Caroline and Chell a little abruptly, smiling~ it’s fine. ~notices how Caroline’s outfit resembles GLaDOS, holding back a visible response as she does look rather nice in it despite its resemblance to the mechanical nightmare~ we’re in Eaden.

CHELL:

~proceeds Caroline, smiling at the Doctor’s statement and jogging to the doors, heading outside eagerly and leaving the door open as she runs off~

CAROLINE:

~watches the opened door for a moment, glancing at the Doctor and looking unsure of herself~ she might not want me to… ~trails off, not finishing her sentence~

DOCTOR:

Chell won’t care unless you impose a threat, and she wouldn’t leave the door open if she didn’t want you to follow. ~smiles reassuringly at Caroline~ why don’t we go with you? We’re recognized as fairly harmless people.

CAROLINE:

Alright. ~smiles back, heading to the doors and walking out next to Foxglove~

MASTER:

~lets his hand slip down to hold the Doctor’s, walking out of the TARDIS after her~

CHELL:

~is scaling Foxglove to get to Wheatley, who is straddling a beam with Garret alongside him~

GARRET:

~waves down to the Doctor and the Master~

WHEATLEY:

~notices Caroline and almost falls off of the beam~

DOCTOR:

~closing the door behind him, follows the Master out and stifles a chuckle at Wheatley’s response to Caroline as he understands where the clumsy core is coming from, waving back to Garret with his free hand and keeping an eye on Caroline to be sure she’s alright~

GARRET:

~climbs down after Chell makes it all the way up and shares a few words with Wheatley. Garret walks up to Caroline with a smile~ Hello there, I’m Garret. Who might you be?

CAROLINE:

~she hesitates briefly, answering carefully~ …Caroline.

GARRET:

~looks a bit disoriented for a moment when she speaks~

DOCTOR:

~notices Garret’s reaction, confused by it until he remembers Garret’s fascination with Aperture tech, stepping towards them and speaking to Caroline without letting go of the Master’s hand~ Garret here has quite a fascination with mechanics and the stuff from the North, he used them to help make Foxglove. ~smiles over at Garret, acting as if he’s just doing introductions though he was trying to drop a hint to Caroline~ and a really great guy when it comes down to it; he supplied the Master and I with a place to stay while we were here.

CAROLINE:

~smiles at Garret politely~

GARRET:

~speaks eagerly~ I’d be glad to show her off to you if you like.

CAROLINE:

~has more difficulty keeping the smile as she replies~ no thank you. It was nice meeting you, Garret…

GARRET:

~he nods back, some disappointment showing in his expression as he turns to walk back to Foxglove~

CAROLINE:

~turns away from the tower, facing the TARDIS again and looking to the two Timelords almost desperately~ could you take me back?

DOCTOR:

To Aperture…? ~seems hesitant, asking~ why…? ~knowing that if things go bad he and the Master could take Caroline but not wanting to risk it~

CAROLINE:

That’s where I’ve always been; it’s home. ~looks downward~ people here might recognize my voice… I won’t be welcomed, at least not for long. ~meets the Doctor’s gaze, continuing insistently~ the facility won’t be like it was before; I’ll have to change how I run things, I promise to leave you alone… ~seems like she’s ready to give more explanations~

DOCTOR:

~his expression becomes unreadable for a second as he thinks, looking down at the floor. Looks back at Caroline with a stone-cold expression after a moment~ you mean to tell me you expect me to take _you_ back to Aperture so you can continue your torturous practice because you want to go home and you don’t want to face the consequences of your actions?

CAROLINE:

~returns the Doctor’s expression confidently~ I’m _not_ going to continue my torturous practice, is what I’m saying. There are hundreds of people in there and without a central computer they’ll surely die. ~her expression starts to soften with gradual realization as she continues~ the facility’s going to try to be self-sufficient, and it should figure out on its own… that it needs to have a central computer…

DOCTOR:

~nods slowly~ alright… I’ll take you back and tell Chell not to worry about it. I _will,_ however, quickly become your enemy if I hear anything has gone awry. ~goes to walk back toward the TARDIS~

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor’s hand suddenly, giving him a considerably worried glance~ Doctor… I think she means that emergency protocol will turn the mainframe back on.

CAROLINE:

~looks over to the northeast briefly, then back at the TARDIS, looking distressed~ the facility still has connections to your ship.

DOCTOR:

Well, together, we should be able to stop all that, right? Caroline; where do we need to go first? ~sounds urgent and a little panicked but focused on the task at hand~

CAROLINE:

I don’t know; this isn’t exactly something I’m used to dealing with… ~glances to the side in frantic thought~ I’d say stay away from the facility, but I know you won’t leave the TARDIS behind… Oh, wait, that screwdriver of yours; we can use it to disable the backup systems! ~steps toward the TARDIS~ I know the coordinates of where I stored it.

DOCTOR:

~turns to stride into the TARDIS, not bothering to ask which sonic Caroline is talking about~ well go on, then; I can easily translate Earth coordinates to intergalactic space-time coordinates, unless you’ve already figured that one out.

CAROLINE:

~chuckles lightly, walking up to the console and inputting coordinates~ no, sorry; I don’t have access to the amount of intelligence I had in the mainframe anymore… ~steps aside~

MASTER:

~follows them inside and closes the doors~

DOCTOR:

~walks up, looking at the coordinates and translating them for the TARDIS before taking off the stabilizers and pulling the takeoff lever to start running about the console to fly the TARDIS~

TARDIS:

~she whines in mechanical strain, but goes into flight steadily enough~

CAROLINE:

~when the TARDIS lands, Caroline strides to the doors and looks out~ this is the right place.

MASTER:

~follows her into a small room where the two sonics, the laser screwdriver, laser gun and the stun gun are scattered about the floor~

DOCTOR:

~walks in after them both, being passively affectionate to the TARDIS as usual. Notices the laser gun and looks over at the Master~ you really took the- ~sighs, hurriedly grabbing the sonics and pocketing the stun gun~ never mind. ~looks to Caroline~ where’s command central—where we can disable the backup systems?

CAROLINE:

The… mainframe room. ~she replies~

MASTER:

~shrugs, nonchalantly picking up his laser and leaving the other gun behind~

CAROLINE:

~continues~ well when I said disable, it was probably an understatement. Think you can fry the whole thing?

DOCTOR:

Hm… ~looks at the sonics, pointing the old one at a panel and correcting the frequency as he uses it, causing a loud popping noise and a minor amount of smoke to come from the cracks around the panel, smiling at Caroline afterward~ yeah, I think I’ve got this… especially if I amplify the sound of one sonic screwdriver with the other.

CAROLINE:

~she looks somewhat concerned for the panel that’s smoking~ great. Let’s go, then. ~she walks back into the TARDIS~

MASTER:

~twirls his laser in his hand, smirking slightly and looking over at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~turns and walks back into the TARDIS, trying not to be too visibly discomforted by the Master though he’s tense and glances over at the Master a bit frequently. Goes straight to the console to input the coordinates for the mainframe and get ready for takeoff~

MASTER:

~pockets the screwdriver and closes the door behind him, holding on to the nearest railing~

TARDIS:

~seems distressed and confused, trying to do multiple things at once and seeming like she might have trouble taking off~

DOCTOR:

It’s okay… take it easy, one last stop and we can be through with this… ~murmurs to the TARDIS, bringing his hand to the takeoff lever~ hang in there… after this it’s you, me, the Master, and all of time and space. ~takes the breaks off and puts the stabilizers on to try and make this easier for the TARDIS, pulling the takeoff lever to fly her as accurately as he knows how~

TARDIS:

~she does manage to take off, unsteadily going into flight and reassuring the Doctor that she can handle a little strain~

MASTER:

~when she lands he curiously peers outside, then closes the door again and gives the Doctor a hesitant glance~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master, walking up to the doors and turning to him instead of going out, muttering~ you don’t have to go out if you’re worried.

MASTER:

~glares back at the Doctor as if that’s a ridiculous notion~ I’m not hiding behind in the TARDIS. ~opens the door again and walks out into the mainframe room~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the lights are barely on and the mainframe is randomly moving in circles, sparking and spluttering. The room is filled with neurotoxin, but there’s a small pocket that the TARDIS’ shields keep clear~

DOCTOR:

Alright, it was just an offer. ~steps out of the TARDIS, glancing around and taking out both sonics~ really hope this works through the shield… ~lifts his old screwdriver to be aimed at the ceiling and his new one at the old one, creating an extremely loud buzzing noise at the proper frequency to fry the Aperture tech~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the reactivated mainframe thrashes before sparking and overheating, going limp eventually in a cloud of smoke as the neurotoxin starts to clear out of the room~

MASTER:

~uncovers his ears~ how are you not absolutely deaf by now from using that screwdriver for so long?

DOCTOR:

~shrugs~ I honestly have no clue. I’ve done this before, too; though usually I use speakers as they’re more frequently available than another sonic. ~looks at the dead mainframe~ so… It’s finally over…?

MASTER:

~waits a moment, smiling hesitantly~ …looks like. God, I hope so. ~looks back into the TARDIS, calling~ Caroline? Is this fried enough for you?

CAROLINE:

~she comes up to the door, looking out at the mainframe and smiling~ yes, that’s perfect.

DOCTOR:

~sighs in deep relief~ so; will she fly freely now? ~gestures to the TARDIS by briefly tilting his head toward her, looking excited though he tries to contain himself~

CAROLINE:

She should, and if not I’ll fix it myself. ~walks out of the TARDIS as the last of the neurotoxin clears away, turning to face the two Timelords and nodding in farewell~ go have fun. You’ve earned it.

DOCTOR:

~smiles happily, lightly chuckling at Caroline’s statement~ I will stop by Eaden and tell Chell there’s nothing to worry about; don’t want her thinking you’re still a threat.

CAROLINE:

Thank you. ~she waves briefly, beginning to walk up to the broken and still smoking mainframe~

MASTER:

~hesitates a moment before heading back into the TARDIS eagerly~

DOCTOR:

No problem. ~goes into the TARDIS, closing the doors and going up to the console with all of his old enthusiasm~ alright; so, first we need to stop by Eaden and somehow convince Chell and Wheatley that Caroline’s taken care of. Then we should probably tell Torchwood we’re alive and free as I’m sure they’d like to know. After that, we could—well, we could do anything! ~sets the coordinates for Eaden as he speaks~

MASTER:

Why don’t we just go now? ~follows the Doctor up to the console, smiling but he sounds somewhat annoyed by the side trips that seem to be needed~ we’ve got time travel, after all.

DOCTOR:

Because, if we get done what needs to be done we don’t have to worry about doing it later or never getting to it. ~hopes the Master isn’t too put off by this, knowing how easily everything negative can be turned into aggressive anger by the drums~

MASTER:

~looks a little disappointed, but nothing more~ oh, alright. ~walks around the console, glancing over the controls, deciding not to continue and make things into an argument~

DOCTOR:

~nods slightly, glad the Master decided not to argue. Pulls the lever and runs about the TARDIS, finding he missed business as usual, taking the stabilizers off but leaving the breaks off for the Master~

MASTER:

~stumbles slightly but steadies himself with the console, handling a few of the controls to help the Doctor out for a change as the TARDIS lands without a problem~

DOCTOR:

~saunters over to the doors easily once they’ve landed, hoping Chell and Wheatley trust him enough to let Caroline be~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they’ve landed in the same area of Eaden as before, where a few of the townspeople have gathered and Chell seems to be getting most of the attention around the base of Foxglove~

ELLIE:

~holding her doll, is closest to the TARDIS and looks over at the Doctor with wide eyes, but doesn’t run away~

DOCTOR:

~walks out nervously upon seeing the crowd of townspeople~ uh, hey guys… I’ll explain. ~looks at Chell~ Caroline voiced a remaining issue regarding her leaving where she came from. ~glances briefly around at the crowd as if for permission from Chell to clarify~

CHELL:

~weaves her way around the group of people and comes over to the Doctor, waving Ellie away and she compliantly runs off as Chell asks~ where is she then?

MASTER:

~seems to intend to stay behind in the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

She’s in Aperture. She practically begged to go ‘home’ and we needed her to help stop her mainframe from coming back to life due to backup systems, which we fried. ~explains simply, hoping Chell’s reaction isn’t negative~ she swore not to continue testing; she seemed more worried about the subjects’ lives. She’s fine, by the way; happy, even.

CHELL:

~she smiles at the Doctor’s explanation, nodding in understanding~ great. ~glances backwards briefly at the other people~ you’re welcome to stick around if you’d like.

DOCTOR:

~gives a smile, briefly glancing behind himself as well~ I wouldn’t mind hanging around a bit at all, but the Master really wants to get going ~looks almost apologetic~ I’ll try to stop by sometime, though.

CHELL:

~nods to him, still smiling~ good luck, then. ~not entirely sure what she’s wishing them luck with; waves and starts heading back to the crowd of people. A few others, like Wheatley, Garret, and Aaron all wave to the Doctor as well~

DOCTOR:

~waves back, smiling, before turning and striding back into the TARDIS, closing the doors behind him and going to put Torchwood’s coordinates into the console~ That went surprisingly well!

MASTER:

~looks up from where he had been sitting on the bench and observing his laser screwdriver, asking good-humoredly~ what did you expect would happen?

DOCTOR:

I don’t know; I thought maybe Chell would still consider Caroline a threat and get pissed that I let her go in Aperture. ~chuckles slightly~ guess having things go right for once is putting me on edge.

MASTER:

~murmurs through a smile, offering suggestively~ I could help you with that at some point if you’d like.

DOCTOR:

~smirks slightly, glancing over at the Master almost invitingly before turning back to the console to pull the takeoff lever~

MASTER:

~smiles in satisfaction, focusing back on his screwdriver as the TARDIS takes off though he makes a mental note of the Doctor’s encouraging demeanor in response to his offer~

TARDIS:

~lands smoothly, seeming to grow more and more excited~

DOCTOR:

~strides up to the TARDIS doors after they land, wondering what time it is, knowing that it’s daytime in America at least, opening the doors and stepping out~

ENVIRONMENT:

~it looks like early evening, since people seem to have left recently and Jack is standing by one of the desks~

JACK:

~watching the TARDIS closely but not going towards her~ hey, Doc! ~smiles in friendly greeting, though he’s somewhat untrusting of the Doctor showing up in Torchwood by now~

DOCTOR:

Hey Jack! ~smiles more genuinely than Jack has seen him smile in a long time, looking over at him~ thought you might want to know that we got out!

JACK:

~looks taken aback~ wait, what?

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor out, walking up beside the other Timelord~

JACK:

~adds~ as in… no more Aperture?

DOCTOR:

Yes. ~is smiling uncontrollably with excitement he tries to contain~ with Chell and Wheatley and Caroline herself, we not only escaped but we shut it down!

JACK:

~looks perplexed for a moment, but gradually forms a wide grin and walks towards the Doctor~ that’s great! ~comes up to give the Doctor a small hug, speaking jokingly when he lets go~ now I don’t have to go to America.

DOCTOR:

~hugs Jack back briefly and chuckles at his joke, knowing he can’t expect a high level of seriousness from Jack and appreciating the carefree mood he automatically created~ yeah; hope the other aliens haven’t been giving you too much trouble. ~gestures upward slightly~

JACK:

Nah, not really. ~puts his hands in his pockets, seeming much less tense than before~ it’s getting close to Christmas though, and not much happens a month or so before. ~shrugs~

DOCTOR:

Well at least I didn’t miss Christmas in London! I wonder what massive catastrophe it’ll be this time! ~seems a bit too excited for what he’s saying, overjoyed by having his usual life back~

JACK:

~chuckles, and the Master joins him~ alright, maybe you should go out and spend some of that energy. ~nods to the Doctor, still grinning~ thanks for actually stopping by though, I was about to get too worried about you two. ~glances over at the Master, finding he’s softened up a bit towards the other Timelord~

DOCTOR:

~grins back at Jack, nodding slightly~ right. And no problem; ~sounds as if he’s about to continue, changing his mind~ well, I’ll inevitably run into you again, so see you later! ~gives his usual little two-fingered salute before turning to walk back into the TARDIS~

MASTER:

~nods in farewell to Jack before following the Doctor into the TARDIS, closing the door behind him and staring down at the floor for a moment thoughtfully before looking up and heading to the console, standing beside the Doctor~ so… where to first?

DOCTOR:

Wherever; usually I set the coordinates as a sort of range or suggestion, though sometimes I just fly at random. Most of the time I end up with some alien crisis to fix. So, really, wherever and wherever. Any suggestions?

MASTER:

I’ve never really had the chance to travel before… so, anywhere in your best interest. I’m up for pretty much anything. ~rests his hand on top of the Doctor’s on the console, leaning into him slightly and smiling~

DOCTOR:

~smiles as well, thinking for a second before putting in coordinates to a foreign planet into the console and pulling the takeoff lever with his free hand~

MASTER:

~lets his hand slip off of the Doctor’s, getting a glimpse of the coordinates and not recognizing them; walks around the console as the TARDIS takes off and wonders about what the Doctor’s daily life will be like~


	16. Samanchi

DOCTOR:

~runs about the console to fly the TARDIS until she lands, striding up to the doors and opening them~

ENVIRONMENT:

~outside is a forest of thick, dark brown trees with big, flat leaves of vastly varying colors. It seems to be night time but blue orbs that hang off of the trees like apples illuminate the place~

DOCTOR:

~standing aside to let the Master come out and see~

MASTER:

~walks over to the doors, peering out at the nighttime scene and smiling widely, eventually looking over at the Doctor with a small smirk and seeming amused~ you chose a planet with lighted forests.

DOCTOR:

~laughs a little uneasily~ It looks cool, though! I didn’t choose this planet for the forests anyway, we landed a little off from where I was trying to be. That’s not unusual, though. ~thinks for a second before adding~ I’m pretty sure I know where we are, though.

MASTER:

~steps out of the TARDIS, noticing that neither of them had bothered to take off their long fall boots but not paying them much mind as he turns back to the Doctor~ so where were you trying to be, then?

DOCTOR:

Just this way; come on, it’s not far. ~walks through the forest easily, as if he’s done this a hundred times, avoiding stepping on roots~

MASTER:

~follows after the Doctor and wanders a bit without straying too far, looking around at the trees~ this is actually quite nice.

DOCTOR:

~smiles happily at the Master’s comment~

ENVIRONMENT:

~soon, they come to a clearing in which a red cliff towers in front of them with an immense, luminescent waterfall that seems to be encased with crystal, making the blue light of the “water” move and shimmer. Atop the cliffs sits a city of grey, dome-shaped houses that seems to be asleep as it gives off no light~

MASTER:

~looks up at the crystal waterfall, appreciating its magnificence for only a few moments before taking notice of the houses on top of the cliff and looking over at the Doctor~ so who lives up there?

DOCTOR:

The… Samanchi? It’s been a while, I might be a bit rusty on the language and such, but if I remember correctly they’re one of the few species with a hive mind that manage to do so and still have individual personalities.

MASTER:

~walks over to the edge of the crystal-covered water, crouching down to run his hand across the top of the shimmering surface curiously~ so, any particular reason we started here? ~glances back at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

It looks _really_ cool. Honestly, that’s the whole reason. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s trouble in paradise here; I don’t usually look for trouble, it tends to find me… ~squints his eyes at the cliff top after a second~ and I think it’s here.

MASTER:

~stands up and follows the Doctor’s eyes up to the top of the cliff~ what is it?

DOCTOR:

Movement past curfew. Which, for the Samanchi, is really odd. ~strides up to the rocky cliff face, finding a thin ladder a bit to the right of the waterfall and quickly starting up it, stopping after a second to glance back and be sure the Master’s following~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor to the ladder and starts heading up, glancing upward for a moment and chuckling despite how the Doctor had mentioned trouble a moment ago~

DOCTOR:

~continues up the ladder, his foot almost missing a prong when he hears the Master chuckle, managing to continue like it didn’t happen. Gets to the top, standing and walking towards the town cautiously~

MASTER:

~pulls himself up onto the cliff face, still grinning slightly in amusement but he lets it fade as he looks around, making note of the Doctor’s cation and deciding to take it seriously~

DOCTOR:

~walks around the nearest dome-shaped house, stopping before he walks onto another path that connects the houses and glancing around, something catching his eye—someone running behind the two houses in front of him—, walking across the path and starting down an alleyway~

MASTER:

~quietly trails after the Doctor, the figure catching his eye as well; speeds up slightly, obviously eager and intrigued by the unfamiliar situation~

ENVIRONMENT:

~after they get out of the alleyway they stand in what looks like a very infrequently used area behind the houses~

DOCTOR:

~stops for a second once they’re there, glancing around the area, which doesn’t look like it holds anything more than various rocks—most likely discarded after construction of the city was finished. Walks around a little, looking over the rocks before walking up to one of the larger rocks and smiling, whispering~ I think I found it.

MASTER:

~grins slightly and heads up to the opposite side of the rock from the Doctor, carefully peering around it and speaking quietly~ hello?

DOCTOR:

~a circular button in the rock is evident on the side the Doctor’s looking at and he presses it without a moment’s hesitance, making a hole open in the ground next to him that has a stairway down into it, whispering almost to himself~ so, people in need or menacing cult? ~shrugging and starting down the stairs~

MASTER:

~quickly looks over at the stairway and jogs over to follow the Doctor down~ either would be fine with me.

DOCTOR:

Of course. Me too, honestly; either way there’s something to be done.

ENVIRONMENT:

~once they get to the bottom of the steps they’re in a pitch-black dark cave and a gunshot is heard along with the sound of the stone next to the entrance crumbling and fizzing~

DOCTOR:

Hey! Calm down, we’re here to help. You can’t recognize my voice or hear my thoughts, so I can’t be one of you, can I?

SAMANCHI:

~there’s a sound of uneasy shifting before a deep voice responds~ but what of your friend?

MASTER:

~steps up beside the Doctor, fondling the screwdriver in his pocket indecisively~ just don’t hurt either of us and I won’t get on your case, alright? ~sounds almost casual, but his underlying tone is threatening~

DOCTOR:

~bites his lip anxiously at the Master’s statement, not hearing the man sheath his gun and assuming it’s still out~

SAMANCHI:

~responds in a slightly aggressive tone~ but who are you to act all high and mighty?

DOCTOR:

~quickly responds before the Master can~ he’s the Master a—

SAMANCHI:

He may be your master, ~the voice interrupts~ but he is not mine and certainly he can answer for himself.

MASTER:

~laughs lightly at the Samanchi’s understanding of what the Doctor said, confidently replying~ I singlehandedly took on a dictatorship of a level 5 planet; I know a bit about how to make someone regret their actions.

SAMANCHI:

~the Samanchi man drops his gun as if in surprise and goes silent~

DOCTOR:

~muttering to the Master~ we’re here to help if it’s needed, not terrorize them!

MASTER:

Well sor-ry, he _was_ holding a gun. ~mutters back to the Doctor indignantly, folding his arms as he speaks a little louder to address the Samanchi, tilting his head slightly towards the Doctor~ what he said.

DOCTOR:

Anyways, I’m the Doctor, and this is the Master—and that’s his _name._

SAMANCHI:

~the deep voice responds uneasily~ you can call me Griffith.

DOCTOR:

Nice to meet you, Griffith. Now, if I may ask. What are you doing out past curfew with a gun handy?

GRIFFITH:

~answers quickly~ I disconnected myself from the hive mind.

DOCTOR:

Why?

GRIFFITH:

~hesitates to answer~ I… committed major theft…

MASTER:

So, what’d you steal? ~asks curiously, taking out his laser and turning it on so that it will cast some light but isn’t dangerous, taking a step into the room and using the faint light to at least see his immediate surroundings~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room contains a blanket forming a makeshift bed in one corner, a large black bag in another, and a grey, scaled, lizard-like man in the center of the room facing them~

DOCTOR:

~mutters something under his breath~

GRIFFITH:

~responds~ Something I plan to destroy the second I can do so in good conscience. The center to the Samanchi hive-mind.

DOCTOR:

I thought the Samanchi had fixed their problems with the hive mind. ~sounds taken aback~

GRIFFITH:

~responds~ spend a day up there, then tell me nothing looks wrong.

MASTER:

~walks further into the room to make sure he’s observed everything in it and glancing at Griffith with a small grin before turning around to speak to the Doctor~ shall we, then?

GRIFFITH:

~grows exceedingly uneasy with the Master’s presence~

DOCTOR:

~shrugs~ guess so; ~turns to Griffith~ it’s a deal.

GRIFFITH:

~nods eagerly if for no other reason but to get them to leave~

MASTER:

~shrugs slightly and walks back out of the cave towards the Doctor, turning his laser off as he turns back to ask Griffith~ so, are you planning to kill everyone then? ~seems too innocently interested~

GRIFFITH:

No! These people are my family, I’ll wait until I can disconnect them without hurting them! ~seems appalled~

DOCTOR:

~just starts up the steps without commenting~

MASTER:

~sees the Doctor leaving, giving Griffith a small wave before following the Doctor back up the stairs, waiting a moment before speaking~ so, what exactly was the deal?

DOCTOR:

We’ll spend a day in town and then come back to Griffith and help him if his cause is just or stop him—without killing him—if it isn’t.

MASTER:

~puts his hands in his pocket, looking around~ okay. ~follows by the Doctor’s side, wondering if the Doctor is cross with him at all because of his behavior. The thought is pretty strong, and he doesn’t think to block it from telepathic interception~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when they walk back out the floor closes behind them and it seems as if it’s nearing sunrise. No one in town is awake yet~

DOCTOR:

~glances over at the Master, finding the other Timelords’ thoughts obvious and smiling reassuringly but not saying anything on the topic~

MASTER:

~is quiet for a while, glancing over at the sunrise and seeming to grow somewhat restless~ so… how advanced are the Samanchi? ~trying to strike up some sort of conversation~

DOCTOR:

They haven’t even thought of travelling space; they’re really the most content species I know of. They’re only out during the day time and they have access to a luminescent substance, so they don’t need lights, and they’re all telepathically linked, so they don’t need phones. ~shrugs~ it’s a bit bland, but I’ve never seen a Samanchi who wasn’t content with it.

MASTER:

~looks thoughtful for a moment before glancing at the Doctor, carefully stepping behind the other Timelord and hooking his chin over the Doctor’s shoulder~ sounds nice. ~murmurs quietly as a smile plays across his face, closing his eyes and leaning into the Doctor’s head slightly as his mind hints at a possible telepathic connection~

DOCTOR:

~lets his mind be open to the Master so the Master may enter his mind if he so chooses, smiling slightly at the contact~

MASTER:

~accepts the Doctor’s telepathic invitation, letting the connection go both ways though he blocks off most of his memories and a few other things, looking through the Doctor’s various memories of his travels as he lets his hands hook together around the Doctor’s waist~

DOCTOR:

~the only thing closed off in the Doctor’s mind is the Time War, which seems like it was locked away from ever being brought up by anyone including the Doctor himself. Only uses the fact that the connection goes both ways to see the Master’s reaction to his travels, knowing anything the Master’s hasn’t blocked he was probably there for and having already forgiven these events he probably only knows half the story of~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the singular sun begins to rise but no one’s stirring just yet~

MASTER:

~seems to enjoy going through the memories, whether it be of the happy, successful trips, ones where the Doctor’s emotionally strained, losses of companions, or anything in between. Opens up his mind a little bit more for the Doctor, allowing for the memories he’s left open to come with his feelings in those situations as well~

DOCTOR:

~lets himself look through the Master’s open memories a little hesitantly, respecting the closed ones and not minding the pulsing drumbeat in the background~

MASTER:

~tries not to seem uncomfortable with having the Doctor in his mind, though he takes the time to close off the beat of four from the Doctor’s detection or possible influence~

DOCTOR:

~gives a little mental thanks for the consideration, nonchalantly looking through memories until the large sun has gotten high enough that the cliff doesn’t case a shadow on the houses and the Samanchi begin to stir~

MASTER:

~hesitates before eventually asking the Doctor if they should establish a telepathic bond, since they’ve been together for a while and it’s a bit of a Gallifreyan custom, growing more and more awkward with the offer as he tries to veer away from the prospect of marriage though the Doctor can still see his thought processes and the effort is in vain; finds himself blushing profusely but refusing to back down from the offer~

DOCTOR:

~smiles though he’s surprised by the offer, having all but forgotten the custom, accepting it after a second, blushing as well at the offer and the Master’s thoughts, establishing the bond on his end. His own mind is timidly ecstatic at the thought of never being alone again—and not only that, but with the Master—not bothering to try to hide it from the Master~

MASTER:

~hugs the Doctor a little tighter as he completes the connection, smiling at the Doctor’s eagerness and slowly letting go after a moment, taking a step back but still remaining present in the Doctor’s mind~

DOCTOR:

~turns to the Master, smiling but knowing this’ll take some getting used to~ so… shall we see what’s going on with the town?

ENVIRONMENT:

~by now the Samanchi are all out of their houses, walking in sync to their jobs~

MASTER:

~grins happily back at him~ sure; it’s what we came for. ~looks around at the Samanchi, noticing their uniformity but not thinking much of it, wondering if the presence of two Timelords will cause a negative reaction from them~

DOCTOR:

~walks towards the path they crossed to get to the hideout rock, going up to a random Samanchi~ excuse me, miss?

ENVIRONMENT:

~every last Samanchi turns and looks at the Doctor inquisitively in creepy unison though only the one he had spoken to speaks~

SAMANCHI:

Who are you… and why might you be here?

DOCTOR:

~seems taken aback, knowing already something’s gone wrong and debating whether or not he should give a truthful answer~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor and tenses when the Samanchi all turn their way, looking around at them untrustingly~ we’re just visitors, passing through… ~has his screwdriver in his hand just in case, figuring that this isn’t normal based off of the Doctor’s mental reaction~

SAMANCHI:

~she looks almost afraid though her tone is emotionless as she responds~ …very well… ~adding in a more sincere, rushed tone~ just be careful.

DOCTOR:

~nods and everyone goes back to what they were doing, as if nothing had happened~ well, someone’s taken control here…

MASTER:

~curiously wonders how someone might be able to take control of a hive mind, nonchalantly admiring this someone’s work and almost forgetting about the new telepathic bond~ why would they want to, though?

DOCTOR:

~rolls his eyes slightly at the Master’s thoughts, deciding not to mention them aloud~ I don’t know… guess we’ll find out if we snoop around a bit; but where to first? Something tells me walking up to one of these guys like “take me to your leader” won’t work…

MASTER:

Could we snoop in some houses? ~smiles mischievously, clouding his thought processes as he conspires with himself so that the Doctor can’t see what he’s thinking about~

DOCTOR:

Guess so; there might be a news article or something to go off of in them, so I guess it’s as good as anywhere. ~wonders exactly what the Master’s planning, not needing the telepathic link to assume he’s planning something~

MASTER:

~bounds up to the nearest house that he’s seen a few of the Samanchi leave from, looking around it to see if there are any ways to see inside without actually entering, turning slightly towards the Doctor before just deciding to ask mentally if the Samanchi have a legal system~

DOCTOR:

~nods slightly, responding that they do have a jail and set penalties for going against the law—which does include breaking and entering—but all the Samanchi leave their homes in the morning to go to school and work at the same time and they don’t have alarm systems. States that the Master and him should be fine if they wait a minute for the Samanchi to clear the street~

MASTER:

~seems somewhat disappointed, thinking that now he’ll actually have to try to be careful about this; walks back to the Doctor and stands by his side as he waits for the crowd to clear~

DOCTOR:

~seems rather confident that whatever this is they can handle it. Soon the area clears out and the Doctor speaks again~ alright; minimal time for a work day here is six hours, I believe, so let’s get to it. ~walks up to the door of the house the Master had been examining, easily using his sonic to unlock the door~

MASTER:

Think we should split up? ~follows the Doctor to the house, looking around just in case any of the Samanchi haven’t moved along yet~

DOCTOR:

~is automatically hesitant toward the suggestion before he realizes there’s no way one of them needs the other without them both knowing what’s going on, nodding~ sure; we’d cover more ground that way. ~starts toward the next house over~

MASTER:

~nods back, grinning slightly as he opens the door in front of him and walks inside, looking around curiously and checking his connection to the Doctor briefly~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Master is greeted by a living room with a bookcase, stone couch, and a coffee table. The area is illuminated only by the light from the doorway and a few windows. Two doorways are on the wall across from him, one to a kitchen and another into another hallway~

DOCTOR:

~the telepathic connection is still strong and the Doctor has entered a similar area and started searching~

MASTER:

~briefly looks around the living room, the bookcase catching his eye but he decides to search it later, walking over to the doorways and deicidedly striding down the hallway~

ENVIRONMENT:

~to the left there’s a stairway that leads to a second floor, to the right tree doors in a row and the hallway ends with the fourth door~

DOCTOR:

~has chosen to search the bookcase in the other household~

MASTER:

~goes to check on the doors to the right, opening the first and peering inside as he thinks of how much bigger these houses where than he had expected, asking the Doctor how many Samanchi usually lived in one household~

DOCTOR:

~responds that there’s usually two; three, at most.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door opens to a small, mostly empty bedroom, though one news article lays on the floor cover-down~

MASTER:

~crouches down to pick up the article, turning it over in his hands which—he notices after a moment—are shaking slightly, making him just a bit anxious~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the picture for the article shows immense ships that look like they’re trying to find somewhere to land and the title reads “Aliens, But Friends or Foes?”~

DOCTOR:

~tries to mentally comfort the master as he senses his anxiety~

MASTER:

~sends a mental image of the article and the picture to the Doctor, almost completely disregarding the Doctor’s comfort as he walks over and sets the article on the bed, reading it as he reaches to his bandaged wrist to press his thumb into the wound, the pain it causes just a passing thought as if he doesn’t care about it~

ARTICLE:

~most of the article is a series of ridiculous theories about aliens~

DOCTOR:

~recognizes the ships and seems more at ease, knowing who they’re dealing with and informing the Master that the Shadow Proclamation are behind this for some reason~

MASTER:

~leaves the article on the bed, glancing around the room one last time before asking the Doctor if he should continue looking, his question clouded slightly by pain as he rubs against his cut, having reopened the wound~

DOCTOR:

~replies by stating that he can just signal them with his sonic, so there isn’t a need for them to keep searching. The thought has an undertone of concern though he knows perfectly well what’s going on and the Doctor is leaving the house he was in and locking the door behind him~

MASTER:

~looks down at his slightly more reddened bandage, stopping his messing with the cut and walking out of the room. Walks back into the living room and looks around, considering nicking something while he’s there, but decides against it as he opens the front door and heads outside casually~

DOCTOR:

~lifts his sonic up and uses it once the Master’s out as well, and surely enough a ring of rhino soldiers surrounds them~ alright, I didn’t call to get the army of small-minded rhinos, where is she?

MASTER:

She? ~asks quickly, sounding uneasy but he realizes afterward that the Doctor can’t possibly be talking about GLaDOS~

DOCTOR:

~mentally apologizes for being vague as a pale humanoid woman is beamed into the ring, the Doctor acting much more respectful towards her~ and hello again, Shadow Architect. Care to tell me why the Samanchi now lack individuality?

SHADOW ARCHITECT:

Greetings, Doctor. ~she responds~ we will restore them and the rogue. We were searching for you, as you don’t usually fall off our radar for this long.

DOCTOR:

I hope you have to take a number for that one by now… ~is mentally aggravated by the fact that they took over these people to get his attention when he wasn’t watching~

MASTER:

~points out mentally that the Doctor falling off the radar for a month or so shouldn’t be any of the Shadow Proclamation’s business, figuring if he voiced this it would end badly for the both of them. Thinks back to when the Samanchi woman had told them to be careful, wondering now somewhat anxiously what the Shadow Proclamation wants from them—and more importantly, whether or not they know of the galactic crimes he’s committed~

DOCTOR:

~still seems almost overly confident as he speaks~ next time you want to know where I am, could you just send out a signal or something instead of disrupting the lifestyle of an entire race? Why did you even want to know where I was?

SHADOW ARCHITECT:

You, Doctor, frequently commit crimes that end up in creating order…

DOCTOR:

So you wanted me back because I help peace that makes your job easier? News flash; I’m not your secret soldier.

SHADOW ARCHITECT:

~is silent for a moment after the Doctor’s statement~

MASTER:

~watches the Shadow Architect for a moment as he comes up behind the Doctor, draping his arms over the Doctor’s shoulders in a loose hug around his neck~ he’s mine. ~frowns in a comically protective manner~

DOCTOR:

~giggles slightly~

SHADOW ARCHITECT:

~the interaction makes her look at them in a confused and slightly taken aback manner. She snaps out of it after a second and states~ very well… there are others as wel-

DOCTOR:

Yeah, I’m sure between all the people who practically track me there will be complications for me to deal with. Can you please just restore the Samanchi?

SHADOW ARCHITECT:

~looks a little disgruntled from being interrupted, but she and the rhinos do beam away, soon followed by the sounds of hundreds of people trying to figure out what’s going on~

MASTER:

~doesn’t let go of the Doctor at first, teasingly flicking the Doctor’s collar and rotating it slightly~ so, are we done here?

DOCTOR:

Guess so… I didn’t expect for them to comply so quickly; usually those idiots are more difficult to work with. ~thinks for a second to make sure he’s not forgetting something~ wait; Griffith!

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor, looking towards the alleyway to Griffith’s hideout~ he should still be in his cave… hopefully…

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master through the alleyway, wondering exactly how much Griffith remembers if the Shadow Proclamation “fixed” him~

MASTER:

~walks up to the rock and finds the button that opens the stairway, pressing it and seeming somewhat mentally on edge~

DOCTOR:

~starts down the steps, a little worried about the gun Griffith was so quick to use and calling softly~ Griffith…?

MASTER:

~pulls out his laser and turns it on again to cast a bit of light, swinging it around the dark room~

ENVIRONMENT:

~Griffith is there and when they get to the bottom there’s a gunshot just like last time, except this time it hits the floor, missing the Doctor’s left foot by an inch~

DOCTOR:

Bloody hell, man, don’t shoot.

MASTER:

~jumps back slightly, pointing the laser directly at Griffith as a warning gesture~ we got the problem with the hive mind fixed now; you don’t have to go and destroy it.

GRIFFITH:

~speaks from near the center of the room~ oh! Sorry, it’s a… bit of a reflex. But it’s really fixed?

DOCTOR:

Yes, it’s fixed. ~mentally has an almost understanding reaction to Griffith’s statement about the gun~ you can go back to whatever you did before it happened.

GRIFFITH:

~goes to the makeshift bed to gather it~

MASTER:

Though you might want to deal with your whole “major theft” business first, which I’m pretty sure hasn’t been fixed. ~points out helpfully, still holding out the screwdriver~

GRIFFITH:

~looks over at the black sack as if he had forgotten~ right! Right… well thank you both, I can take it from here. Whatever you two did, I’m grateful.

DOCTOR:

~nods, highly regarding the statement~ it was no problem.

MASTER:

~pockets the screwdriver and turns to walk back up the stairs; seems less tense now, his mind randomly wandering and he wistfully wonders what happened to the Doctor’s leash, thinking about Aperture a little before deciding he had rather liked having the Doctor on a leash~

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master up the stairs~ you _are_ aware that you’re not thinking very quietly right now. ~sounds annoyed though the fact that he’s smiling and wondering if there was more than one leash in the TARDIS make it clear he doesn’t actually mind~

MASTER:

Oh yes, I know. ~replies passively, smiling as they reach the top, mentally asking the Doctor if he actually wants the leash back too since he’s seen the Doctor’s thought processes~

DOCTOR:

~his mind scatters, bringing up a bunch of pros and cons without any sort of organization. He shakes his head and focuses just on his personal response to the leash, responding to the Master a little guiltily in the positive~

MASTER:

~laughs at the Doctor’s mental discombobulation, grinning as he walks down the main road on his way to the edge of the cliff and reassures the Doctor that he’ll find the time to get another leash for him at some point~

DOCTOR:

~a sort of shameful indignance makes the Doctor hang his head slightly, which doesn’t help him as far as resembling a dog goes, still following the Master~

MASTER:

~glances back at the Doctor, suppressing a chuckle and slowing his walk so that he’s beside the Doctor again, reaching over to hold the other Timelord’s hand though his wrist still hurts faintly as they walk away from the Samanchi town and approach the top of the waterfall~

DOCTOR:

~holds the Master’s hand, smiling faintly as they walk up to the cliff’s edge, easily spotting the ladder they went up~

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor’s hand, giving a small smile as he brings up the memory of them sliding down the sides of that one ladder in Aperture while ‘adventuring’ with Rick, glancing over at the Doctor before he does anything involving the ladder~ mind if I check on something when we get back to the TARDIS?

DOCTOR:

Um… sure, I guess. Go ahead. ~thinking about the TARDIS now, chuckles~ do you think she’ll be surprised? ~is clearly talking about the telepathic bond now, trying to predict what the TARDIS’ response will be~

MASTER:

~blocks off his initial mental response before replying~ we’ll just have to see, I suppose. ~doesn’t block his thought that she might want them to do the rest of the customs; again he tries to keep his mind from labeling this as marriage though the more he thinks about it the more the label seems accurate. Starts quickly down the ladder, skipping rungs~

DOCTOR:

~starts down after the Master, going quickly but not as fast as the Master out of caution, thinking the TARDIS will most likely be happy for them, surprised or not~

MASTER:

~reaches the ground a good while before the Doctor does, quickly walking towards the trees and glancing back att he Doctor before breaking into a jog, blocking his thoughts from the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

What the bloody hell-!? ~drops the last foot once he gets to it, running in the direction of the TARDIS as the Master has already disappeared into the trees by the time he gets down~

ENVIRONMENT:

~once the Doctor reaches the TARDIS the Master is nowhere to be seen but is presumably inside the ship; the door is closed and locked~

DOCTOR:

~tries the door to no avail, knowing what the Master’s done as the TARDIS can’t unlock, sinking to the floor with his back to the TARDIS, greeting her mentally with a sense of defeat, blocking the conversation from the Master before asking what he’s doing~

TARDIS:

~replies with a sense of faint confusion~

MASTER:

~opens the door, looking innocently surprised when he opens it into the Doctor and mentally apologizing~ …I told you I was going to check something, didn’t I?

DOCTOR:

Yes, I didn’t expect you to take off and lock the door behind you, though. ~gets up, not minding the fact that the door was opened into him~ it’s fine that you did, I’m just easily concerned. ~thinks back to the last time that happened—the paradox machine, realizing he hasn’t blocked the thought and feeling bad for bringing it up~

MASTER:

~reassures the Doctor that he doesn’t mind, opening the door wide and stepping aside to let the Doctor in, nodding to him~ sorry about the confusion.

DOCTOR:

It’s all good. ~walks into the TARDIS, smiling a little now that he’s pretty sure everything’s fine, his mind automatically completely open to the TARDIS and, as a result, the Master as well~

MASTER:

~closes the door and carefully approaches the Doctor, smiling mischievously at him at him as he brings his hands to the Doctor’s waist and pulls himself close, reminding the Doctor of the offer he had made earlier before they left for Torchwood, curiously exploring the Doctor’s mind and enjoying how exposed it is~

DOCTOR:

~grins back, the connection making it clear his more nervous, timid side is far from gone though at the moment he almost looks challenging~

MASTER:

~brings his hands up to push the Doctor’s trench coat off of his shoulders, taking it and draping it over a column before taking the Doctor by the hand and pulling him out towards the hallway, mentally reassuring him~

TARDIS:

~notices their telepathic back-and-forth by now, realizing what’s happened with faint surprise and gleefulness~

DOCTOR:

~lets the trench coat fall off of his shoulders easily and follows the Master more than willingly, smiling at the TARDIS’ reaction as well as his current situation, finding the Master’s reassurance comforting~

MASTER:

~goes up to a door directly across from the hallway entrance~ I had the TARDIS move a few things around. ~lets go of the Doctor’s hand to open the door and head inside; it’s the Doctor’s room, looking like it’s generally not used very much~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the bed is close to the wall on the left though it leaves a comfortably maneuverable space between the wall and the bed; the bed’s a good size, especially considering the fact that it’s never held anyone other than the Doctor. The wall to the right is literally made of bookcases and directly to the right of the door is a set of drawers that looks like it’s never really been used~

DOCTOR:

~Walks in behind the Master, recognizing his bedroom though it’s been a while since he actually slept in it~

MASTER:

~smiles at the Doctor and closes the door behind him~ thought a bit of a change might be nice… ~steps up to the Doctor again, leaning into him slightly and bringing a hand up to hook a few fingers around the Doctor’s collar~

DOCTOR:

~his arms come around the Master’s waist almost instinctively, grinning slightly and letting his head shy away from the Master’s hand just a little~

MASTER:

~keeps his fingers hooked securely around the collar as he steps back, gently pulling the Doctor’s neck in order to lead him over to the bed, using his free hand to slip off the Doctor’s tie and begin to unbutton his suit jacket~

DOCTOR:

~lets his own hands softly travel the Master’s torso, finding his actions are already limited by the Master and not minding the fact in the slightest~

MASTER:

~slips the Doctor’s suit jacket off, grinning slightly as he pulls the Doctor down with him onto the bed and remains underneath the other Timelord, faintly running his hands down the Doctor’s chest as he sends the Doctor a telepathic invitation and encouragement~

DOCTOR:

~clearly doesn’t need to be asked twice, his hands sliding down the Master’s sides to slip under his shirt, resting on the Master’s hips momentarily before starting to softly snake their way up towards the Master’s shoulders~

MASTER:

~smiles appreciatively at the contact, flinching briefly as the Doctor’s hand brushes over a rather nasty burn curled up his left side but doesn’t move away, busying his hands with starting to unbutton the Doctor’s shirt~

DOCTOR:

~mentally apologizes once he realizes what he did, not seeming overly concerned about it. Brings his left hand back down, messing with the bottom edge of the Master’s shirt as it seem far less easy to casually remove, his other hand resting on the Master’s abdomen~

MASTER:

~finishes with the Doctor’s shirt and leaves it hanging open, curling his right arm around the Doctor’s shoulders and pulling him down slightly to kiss at the Doctor’s neck, still an encouraging presence in the Doctor’s mind~

DOCTOR:

~gives up on finesse, just pulling the Master’s shirt up gradually, still trying to be gentle as now he knows the Master’s burnt on his side, simultaneously allowing the Master access to his neck~

MASTER:

~moves back and allows for his shirt to be pulled up over his head, quickly moving up to meet the Doctor in a kiss afterward as he works on pushing the Doctor’s open shirt off of his shoulders~

DOCTOR:

~moves his arms back to allow for his shirt to be pushed off, kissing the Master back passionately. Once the Master successfully removes his undershirt, tosses it to the side carelessly, bringing one hand to the side of the Master’s face and the other to rest on the Master’s chest~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly around the kiss, pulling back and looking up at the Doctor for a moment before rolling them both over, now crouching atop the Doctor and grinning down at him as he takes back control both mentally and physically~

DOCTOR:

~is hardly fazed by the action, it being a transition frequently used by the Master. Doesn’t have any problem with the Master taking over, the hand on the Master’s cheek gently sliding down to the side of his neck, his own mind still completely unconcealed~

MASTER:

~brings himself into the space between the Doctor’s legs and giggles quietly to himself about a thought unseen to the Doctor, resting his hands on the Doctor’s hips as he leans forward to slowly start kissing down the Doctor’s chest, smiling with satisfaction in between each one~

DOCTOR:

What is it? ~smiles at the Master questioningly, his breathing and heart rate having already gone up noticeably~

MASTER:

~stops briefly to reply~ oh, nothing really. ~a small bit of regret makes it through the telepathic connection, though the Master’s contented expression is unaffected; he comes back down to continue from where he left off, reaching the Doctor’s abdomen and slowing his progressions considerably~

DOCTOR:

~bites back a complaining noise as the Master goes painfully slow~ aw, come on, it had to be something. ~his voice is a little distracted and unsteady~

MASTER:

~involves his tongue somewhat, affectionately taking his time and stalling a reply; brushes his hands against the Doctor’s groin as he approaches the hem of the Doctor’s trousers. His thoughts give away the fact that he feels he can’t tell the Doctor what it was, as he seems to be getting a little careless in keeping his mind concealed since there are other things to focus on at the moment~

DOCTOR:

~whines lightly when he feels the Master’s hand brush against his groin, arousal clouding his mind though he manages to focus enough to mentally get it across to the Master that he can tell him anything but he doesn’t have to, giving up on focus once he’s accomplished that~

MASTER:

~replies with a gentle ‘maybe later’, grinning at the Doctor’s responsiveness as he finally reaches the other Timelord’s trousers, bringing his hands up to help ease the Doctor out of them~

DOCTOR:

~lifts his hips slightly to let the Master remove his trousers though it proves near impossible to do without twitching, the Master’s reply registering in his mind but being pushed to the back of it as he lacks the ability to focus on anything at the moment~

MASTER:

~continues his downward movement from where he stopped, reaching the Doctor’s length and running his tongue slowly along it as his hands curl around the Doctor’s hips~

DOCTOR:

~fails to stifle a groan, the Master’s pace near painful, trying not to fidget though he knows the Master is fully aware of what he’s doing~

MASTER:

~grins again before climbing forward to lower himself to the bed beside the Doctor, resting one hand on the Doctor’s chest and bringing the other down to gently stroke him as he doesn’t want to come across as torturous at the moment~

DOCTOR:

~manages a little smile, glancing over at the Master, sighing silently in minor relief as the Master strokes him~

MASTER:

~leans into the Doctor and comes forward for a kiss, bringing his free hand up to the Doctor’s cheek as he once again encourages the Doctor mentally, sticking to simple thoughts at this point~

DOCTOR:

~kisses the Master back with a little less precision than before, bringing an arm over to rest his hand on the Master’s side~

MASTER:

~stops pleasuring the Doctor as he rolls back to their original position, soothingly massaging his way down the Doctor’s back before finally breaking the kiss for air. Informs the Doctor mentally that he’s fine with the Doctor running things from here on out~

DOCTOR:

~mentally acknowledges the permission, panting lightly to make up for lost breath. His hands automatically go to either side of the Master’s waist and he goes down to kiss the Master’s neck, grinding against the Master after a few seconds~

MASTER:

~hums briefly, tilting his head back to expose his neck more to the Doctor as he closes his eyes, lifting his hips slightly into the Doctor as a hand drifts down his back to lightly grope him; feels somewhat relieved as the drums make it hard to focus on anything, faintly expressing his worry about the drums to the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~mentally replies that he could take the drums—just for a short while—if the Master wants/needs a break, his hips rolling slightly against the Master responsively as he bites back an aroused noise~

MASTER:

~hesitates, remaining in conflicted thought for a moment before accepting the offer, and trusting the Doctor to executively determine whether he needs a break again in the future, as long as the Doctor promises to not take them for very long. Gradually opens the drums up to the Doctor again as he gives a quick exhale, his own arousal beginning to show~

DOCTOR:

~mentally makes the promise before taking the drums into his mind, blocking them off from the Master so he can’t hear them in the slightest, trying to stop himself from giving a noticeable negative response though he can’t stop his thoughts, which to briefly turn negative but then go back to normal. Backs off of the Master’s neck to smile at him reassuringly as he reorients himself~

MASTER:

You alright? ~speaks softly as he brings his hands up the Doctor’s back, seeming quite relieved to be able to think clearly while still a little concerned for the Doctor despite his reassurance~

DOCTOR:

I’m fine. ~matches the Master’s tone as he brings a hand up to the side of the Master’s face, letting the other slide down to the hem of the other Timelord’s trousers, smiling~

MASTER:

~lifts his hips up into the Doctor’s hand faintly in encouragement, his mind wandering a little and he seems to develop a small doubt about something, but exactly what is unclear~

DOCTOR:

~is too focused on trying to keep his thoughts in line and the task at hand to notice the Master’s doubt, bringing his other hand down to help ease the Master out of his trousers~

MASTER:

~pushes his trousers off with his feet once he can do so, wrapping his arms around the Doctor’s neck and pulling him into a slightly uncoordinated kiss as he arches his back upwards~

DOCTOR:

~hums briefly out of startled pleasure, the careful order he had been keeping his mind in scattering in a blissful way~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly and curls just one hand around the Doctor’s neck as he explores the Doctor’s mouth with his tongue, his other hand reaching down towards the Doctor’s length to tease him a bit~

DOCTOR:

~parts his jaw a bit more to accommodate for the Master’s tongue, his hands automatically resting on the Master’s sides, failing to suppress a quiet noise that almost resembles a growl as the Master teases him though his thoughts are anything but hostile~

MASTER:

~breaks the kiss and pants for air, moving his hands down to the Doctor’s hips as he presses up against him and tilts his head back slightly, just wanting the Doctor to get on with things~

DOCTOR:

~bites back another noise, his back arching up slightly. Brushes against the Master’s entrance for permission though it’s clear even he thinks it’s stupidly unnecessary at this point, bringing his own hand down to tease the Master’s length~

MASTER:

~tries to thrust upward into the Doctor’s hand, letting out a short sigh of frustration as he almost angrily gives the Doctor permission, though he finds he can’t truly bring himself to be mad at the Doctor right now~

DOCTOR:

~pushes into the Master, soon thrusting in and out and wrapping his hand around the Master’s length to stimulate him as well, starting gently slow but accelerating quickly~

MASTER:

~lets out a squeak-like exhale, recollecting himself for a few moments before angling his hips upward slightly and hooking his legs around the Doctor’s thighs, breathing audibly as he brings his hands to either side of the Doctor’s neck~

DOCTOR:

~continues to build up, growing less and less coordinated and panting, resting his head against the Master’s chest~

MASTER:

~runs a hand softly through the Doctor’s hair, the other gripping his shoulder as he bucks slightly into the Doctor’s hand and tries to keep up with his pace~

DOCTOR:

~gives a sort of apology that’s more like a wisp of apologetic thoughts that he decides to broadcast to the Master, though part of him finds it amusing that he’s managed to go too fast for the Master, going a little bit slower and more steadily~

MASTER:

~seems indignant but doesn’t find the energy to do anything else to express it, rolling his hips now to meet the Doctor with his thrusts and tilting his head back slightly as he bites back a noise~

DOCTOR:

~his breaths start coming out as light humming every time he exhales, noticing the Master’s indignance and suppressing a chuckle~

MASTER:

~lets out a quiet moan he’s been holding back as he feels himself start to come close, gripping the Doctor’s hair instead of combing through it as his muscles tense and he bucks into the Doctor’s hand again~

DOCTOR:

~loses his coordination and soon tenses and bucks into the master with a cut off outcry as he comes to, not moving his hands for the Master~

MASTER:

~reaches climax not too long after the Doctor does, breathing heavily; after a moment he brings his arms around the Doctor loosely, closing his eyes as his breathing steadies and he goes back to gently running his fingers through the Doctor’s hair. Almost forgets to ask the Doctor if he can have the drums back~

DOCTOR:

~relaxes, looking up when the Master asks for the drums at first as he’s so used to his only telepathic link being the TARDIS before looking at the Master and nodding slightly, opening the drums to him~

MASTER:

~takes them back and tucks them safely away in an undetectable place, bringing his arms further around the Doctor and closing his eyes drowsily~

DOCTOR:

~smiles a little, about to back off when the Master wraps his arms further around him, decidedly simply getting out of in between the Master’s legs before laying with his head resting on the Master’s chest~ …you know, it’s funny, when you think about it…

MASTER:

What is? ~absentmindedly fiddles with the Doctor’s hair, smiling slightly as he opens his eyes again to look down at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

It’s been what—a bit more than a month? And at the start of this we didn’t want to share the same decently sized elevator.

MASTER:

~fails to block a small longing feeling from going through the link, responding somewhat unsteadily though he’s smiling genuinely~ well, aren’t you glad we’re not like that anymore?

DOCTOR:

~catches the longing and immediately remembers that the Master didn’t _want_ to leave, holding him a little closer and forcing his focus onto the question to keep himself from reliving those memories~ yes, of course! ~tries to keep his thoughts from the Master as well, but any focus spent on them leads to an emotional enough response that he might as well have voiced his thoughts~

MASTER:

~quietly hushes him, comfortingly stroking the Doctor’s hair and mentally reassuring the Doctor that he wouldn’t want it any other way. The longing becomes a little more prominent but then the Master notices it and hides it away~

DOCTOR:

~lets the Master calm him down, choosing to listen to the other Timelord’s reassurance rather than his own reasoning despite the fact that the Master’s word hasn’t always been the most reliable, closing his eyes~

MASTER:

~continues to run his fingers through the Doctor’s hair for a while, eventually drifting off to sleep~

DOCTOR:

~goes to sleep shortly after the Master, still shoving his reasoning to the back of his mind~

 


	17. Disappearance

ENVIRONMENT:

~when the Doctor wakes up, the covers are drawn about him in the same fashion they were when he woke up in the enrichment center bedroom; the Master isn’t there, and neither are his clothes~

DOCTOR:

~glances around, sighing slightly as by now he expects to wake up alone, checking the telepathic link to see if everything’s alright as he climbs out of bed~

MENTAL:

~the connection is too faint to really tell whether things are alright or not; it might as well be nonexistent~

DOCTOR:

~mutters to himself as he puts his trousers back on~ I guess we have to do this the old-fashioned way. ~asking the TARDIS what the Master’s doing~

TARDIS:

~replies that she doesn’t know, since he’s not here; her answer is clouded by faint confusion, similar to what she replied with when the Master locked the doors from the inside~

DOCTOR:

~gets himself dressed before walking out into the console room, growing concerned. Walks up to the doors, seeming hesitant to open them though he does so~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they’ve landed in a dark, marshy area, and there’s a circular imprint in the mud a few feet in front of the TARDIS, where it seems Tav used to be~

DOCTOR:

~starting to panic, asks the TARDIS if there’s any way she could find Tav; given the fact that they’re the only two TARDISes in this universe~

TARDIS:

~replies that she might, given that the Master hasn’t put up any sort of cloaking device… but as she’s replying Tav begins to materialize again~

MASTER:

~opens the door and seems as cheerful as can be, swaying almost drunkenly as he grins at the Doctor~ it’s good to have time travel again, isn’t it? ~seems out of breath and particularly worn out~

DOCTOR:

What the bloody hell, Master!? ~sounds angered though he’s more relieved than anything else, shaking his head~

MASTER:

~opens his mouth to reply but suddenly grows dizzy, drastically contrasting and complex emotions going through his mind as he falls into the doorframe, holding on to it so as to not fall forward. He’s got about three days’ worth of new memories, though they’re all blocked off completely from the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~sighs agitatedly, walking over to the Master~ what are you, drunk? ~mentally offers assistance with walking as the Master seems a bit unstable~

MASTER:

~backs out of his TARDIS and closes the door so the Doctor can’t see inside, almost panicked for a moment though he doesn’t show it~ no, I’m fine. ~waves his hands at the Doctor dismissively; they’re noticeably bruised~

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head and forces his guesses as to where the Master’s been to the back of his head. Is concerned as well as distressed, only letting his concern show~ Master-… are you injured? I mean beyond bruising. Anything I can—anything you’ll let me help with.

MASTER:

~goes to put his hands in pockets by his sides that don’t exist, hoping it didn’t look too obvious~ I-… ~seems like he was going to reply in confidence, continuing more quietly~ maybe…

DOCTOR:

Alright, just- ~gives up on the questionnaire, not expecting a clear or entirely truthful answer from the Master and not hiding those expectations from him. Turns to walk back to his TARDIS~ let’s just-… do something, I don’t know.

MASTER:

~looks at the ground and puts his hands in his hoodie pocket, shaking slightly though it’s not noticeable at first. Doesn’t move from where he stands, looking up at the Doctor after a moment and is unable to block the fact that he feels greatly torn between two things~

DOCTOR:

~stops mid-stride, turning and looking at the Master, finally fed up with all this~ you know, I’m not an idiot; and, quite frankly, it doesn’t take a genius to guess that you went to Aperture. Apparently you don’t have to be an idiot to believe blatantly obvious lies, though. ~his tone is harsh and he doesn’t give the Master time to respond before continuing towards his own TARDIS~

MASTER:

~is hurt by the Doctor’s harsh tone, still staying where he is and remaining frustratingly unsure of himself. Watches the Doctor for a moment before solemnly turning and walking back into Tav, closing the doors but not closing off his connection to the Doctor as he gets ready to take off~

DOCTOR:

~turns and looks out the door just in time to see the Master close Tav’s door, his eyes widening as he realizes what he’s done, a little hastily just sending “I love you” over the link, watching the other TARDIS so he knows if and when the Master leaves~

MASTER:

~falters, staring down at the console and blinking back tears as he hesitates for a long while. Eventually pulls himself away from the console and heads to the door, shakily coming back to the Doctor and hugging him; his mind is a mess as he seems to be going through an emotional breakdown of sorts~

DOCTOR:

~hugs the Master back, holding him close and hushing him gently~ it’s okay… it’s all alright… ~his own voice is a bit unsteady, but he manages to keep himself stable enough to try to help the Master~

MASTER:

~shakes in the Doctor’s arms, tightening his grip and shuddering with a quiet sob, trying to let the Doctor soothe him but he can’t seem to stop his thoughts from making things worse~

DOCTOR:

~continues to try to comfort the Master, attempting to counteract the other Timelord’s more negative thoughts though they’re almost enough to overwhelm him, matching the Master’s grip~

MASTER:

~the conflict in his mind grows overwhelming to the Master, to the point where he becomes desperate for it to stop; for him to not have to make a decision. Leans into the Doctor and opens up his mind to him, practically begging for him to just make it stop~

DOCTOR:

~automatically doesn’t want to force either life on the Master though in an instant it’s clear that leaving the choice up to the Master won’t work, left with the question of how to resolve the conflict. The fist methods of doing so that come to mind are a bit drastic and the Doctor hides them from the Master, seeing if he can’t just extract the Master’s positive reaction towards ‘science’ as he knows that’s at least part of what makes Aperture so appealing to the other Timelord~

MASTER:

~tries to quiet his internal chaos if only just slightly in order to help the Doctor help him; the Master’s involvement with Aperture seems to be deeply ingrained between learned behaviors, conditioned beliefs, his addiction being taken advantage of and a little bit of Stockholm Syndrome. The science aspect of it all seems to only be like an extra attraction for his natural curiosity; it can be changed, but that would require altering the Master’s personality very slightly~

DOCTOR:

~presents the option to the Master along with the only other one he can think of—wiping the Master’s memories of Aperture--, not about to make such a decision without the Master taking part~

MASTER:

~considers the first one, but to the second he points out with tears in his eyes that if he forgot, then he wouldn’t think of the Doctor the same way he does now. Starts to wonder devastatingly if there’s no way to fix whatever’s been done to him, starting to mentally fall apart again~

DOCTOR:

Hey, hey… it’s okay, Master… really. ~mentally responds that he knows but he wanted to present he choice to the Master given the fact that one involves changing him and the other involves erasing it all, reassuring the Master that he’s sure either will work~

MASTER:

~is distressed by the choice as he honestly doesn’t want to leave either Aperture or the Doctor behind; asks if it’s possible to just erase a part of it, specifically from after he ‘died’ until present as he figures that would fix the problem with his state of mind~

DOCTOR:

~agrees to do so, finding the Master’s memory of saying “see you later” and attempting to erase everything after that, immediately afterwards closing off his own memories of then to present~

MASTER:

~falls forward into the Doctor slightly as the memories slip away from him, his grip loosening as he groggily regains awareness, alertly coming to attention and pulling away from the Doctor in a panic~

DOCTOR:

~lets the Master pull away, closing his mind off from him completely for the moment~ Master! Are you okay? ~sounds urgent, trying to act as he would if they were back in Aperture and something big just happened~

MASTER:

~looks around in a daze, trying to figure out what happened~ I think… where-… ~notices the open door and the fact that they’re not in Aperture. Brings his hands up to his head~ Doctor, she’s not connected.

DOCTOR:

~smiles, tears in his eyes~ yes; and you’re alive, and we’re free. ~knows the Master’s going to have a lot of questions, especially when he realizes the Doctor’s in his mind~

MASTER:

~smiles back a little disbelievingly~ but… how? ~doesn’t notice the connection until now as he tries to remember, looking surprised and a little nervous~ why are you in my head? ~sounds almost accusing~

DOCTOR:

~pauses to think of how to explain without risking the Master remembering as it’s almost impossible to completely erase someone’s memories~ alright, I can explain but you have to trust me to a certain extent. A lot happened after you supposedly died that you can’t remember, one of which being you proposing we telepathically link up as is tradition.

MASTER:

~blushes and lowers his gaze, speaking quietly enough that it’s barely audible, and probably wasn’t directed at the Doctor~ I proposed…? ~looks up at the Doctor again~ but why can’t I remember? Was it a memory wipe, like what She did to you?

DOCTOR:

A bit, yeah… except… we are free, and we got free by the best means possible… but something happened, something in you. You just wanted it to stop, so I gave you the options and you chose this one. GLaDOS didn’t wipe your memory, I did.

MASTER:

So… I’m not supposed to remember? ~glances downward again, looking through his memories even though he knows it might trigger something~ but what if it comes back to me eventually?

DOCTOR:

I guess we’ll handle that if we get to it. Until then, please… don’t try to remember. ~seems almost desperate, sighing as he knows he can’t do any more than he has~ anyway, you did say you might let me help with an injury of some sort. Don’t ask, I actually wasn’t there.

MASTER:

Alright. ~stops searching through his memories, managing to stifle his curiosity. Assesses his physical state, lifting up his sleeves to show a few chemical burns on his arms; looks down at them in confusion~

DOCTOR:

~sees the burns and the Master’s confusion~ I really don’t know what you did; though I can’t say I expected any better. ~he gets more relaxed, his mind opening up a little to the Master as a result though the memories he erased are heavily blocked~

MASTER:

~timidly refrains from using the connection very much, pushing his sleeves back and wincing slightly~ is my addiction any better? ~feels under his hoodie as he speaks, drawing his hand back suddenly and looking at the blood on his fingertips in surprise, as if he had no idea he was hurt there~

DOCTOR:

I thought-… well, I _thought_ a lot of things… ~looks at the floor, shaking his head~ I think you’re at least a little better, but lack of progress is not something you like to show, generally speaking. This is to the point where you ran off to do _that_ to yourself.

MASTER:

~begins to look worried, lifting up his hoodie to expose his left side where he’s been cut, getting more blood on his palm; but his burn seems to have been healed as it’s no longer there~

DOCTOR:

~brings his hand to his face, it closing on the bridge of his nose out of frustration, muttering mostly to himself~ I’m such an idiot… ~turns his attention back to the Master~ alright, I can fix that up as long as you didn’t move the room; I can fix it either way, honestly, the medicine room would just be more convenient. ~asks the TARDIS about the room’s location~

TARDIS:

~replies that it’s in the same place, but offers to bring it closer if the Doctor wants~

MASTER:

~takes his hand away from his side and looks back at the Doctor with the feeling that he’s been a disappointment to him in some way~

DOCTOR:

~declines the offer, thanking the TARDIS and closing the doors as there’s no reason to leave the TARDIS doors open before turning to walk towards the hall~ it’s still there.

MASTER:

Good to know… ~follows after the Doctor and keeps his bloodied hand from smearing against anything, hesitantly using the link to ask the Doctor what he realized that apparently meant he had been an idiot~

DOCTOR:

~responds with a simple, bitter “I believed you”, not hesitating to use the link as he’s used to it by now. Turns right into the hallway, realizing that he left the bedroom door open but not doing anything about it~

MASTER:

~lowers his gaze, feeling crippled with shame for things he doesn’t even know he’s done, apologizing to the Doctor despite himself as he follows behind the other Timelord~

DOCTOR:

~reassures the Master that it’s okay and that he doesn’t hold him responsible for the things he can’t remember doing, though it’s clear that whatever it was hurt the Doctor~

MASTER:

~stubbornly holds himself responsible anyway, knowing that even though he forgot it was still him that did whatever it was to hurt the Doctor. Looks up and keeps his gaze forward as he tries to keep himself from searching for his missing memories, spotting the door to the medicine room~

DOCTOR:

~opens the door once they approach it, walking in and up to a drawer to get out the necessary materials, setting them on the counter for the moment~ you were only trying to make me happy; it just backfired a bit…

MASTER:

~follows inside and nods slightly~ okay. But that’s fixed now… right? ~glances at the Doctor as he finds a sink and goes to wash off his hand, now noticing how bruised and overworked his hands look~

DOCTOR:

Right. That’s also why I erased your memories. The backfire, I mean—not the fact that you were trying to make me happy, that wouldn’t make any sense. ~looks over at the Master after he’s found and gathered the few necessary items for the Master’s injuries~ could you just take your shirt off? It’d be easier than keeping it out of the way. ~hopes the Master doesn’t respond too awkwardly to the request, referring to the shirt and the hoodie jointly~

MASTER:

~smirks, commenting sarcastically~ don’t be getting ahead of yourself now. ~pulls his hoodie and shirt over his head compliantly, setting them on the center table and looking down at his cut, also noticing a few other minor burns and bruises on his torso~

DOCTOR:

~smiles slightly in response to the Master’s sarcasm, taking a cloth off of the counter to clean the cut first as he has no clue what the Master cut himself on or with, hoping it wasn’t something stupidly dangerous~

MASTER:

~doesn’t flinch away or let his expression show any pain; once cleaned, it’s obvious that the wound in his side is ragged and of relatively moderate depth—it doesn’t look like it was intentional, at any rate~

DOCTOR:

Thank God… ~mutters to himself, getting the bandages to patch up the Master’s cut, his movements patient and practiced as he does so~

MASTER:

What? ~leans back against the table and shows a certain distaste for the bandages, but lets the Doctor continue helping him and appreciates it nonetheless~

DOCTOR:

~finishes soon and puts the items away, responding as he does so~ you didn’t do that to yourself purposefully… at least it doesn’t look like you did. Which means it was probably a result of something else, not your addiction.

MASTER:

~looks down at his now-bandaged side, replying after a moment~ it’s still not good, either way. ~glances over at his clothes, hesitating briefly before changing the subject~ so… any particular reason why I’ve got the drums back?

DOCTOR:

~shrugs slightly~ to sum all I know up in one word: Her. ~closes the drawer and turns to the Master, leaning against the counter and smiling after a moment, tears reentering his eyes~ I’m just glad you’re still here.

MASTER:

~looks back at the Doctor and swallows, seeming concerned but a little anxious as he finds himself wondering about what he forgot again. Shakes his head slightly and reaches for his clothes to put them back on~

DOCTOR:

Because, of course, I was led to believe you were dead for a bit. ~looks down at the floor in thought, though his thoughts are blocked from the Master~

MASTER:

~retrieves the small beginnings of a memory, forcing himself to leave it alone and refrain from trying to develop it further. Walks up to the Doctor and awkwardly joins him in leaning back on the counter, wanting to comfort him but not entirely sure how~ is there anything else you can do to keep me from remembering what you erased?

DOCTOR:

Maybe… ~closes his eyes, telepathically re-erasing the faint memory and seeing if he can put up a wall of sorts against the erased memories~ I do have my memory back, in case you were wondering.

MASTER:

~shudders in discomfort, not used to having someone walk in and out of his mind at will and change whatever they like. Had the Doctor not just put up a telepathic wall, another memory would’ve resurfaced at his statement; smiles~ that’s great. Did She just… give them back, or did you manage to do it on your own?

DOCTOR:

She gave them back, though not at a courteous pace. I passed out twice. ~opens his eyes again, no longer traveling the Master’s mind~ I just put up a sort of wall… It should at least be a lot harder to remember now.

MASTER:

Okay; thanks. ~smiles at the Doctor appreciatively, leaning into him slightly and letting his eyes drift closed. Just now notices his physical fatigue, sighing lightly~ I must’ve been doing something quite labor-intensive as of late… ~looks up at the Doctor for confirmation~

DOCTOR:

Again; sorry, don’t ask me. You’ve grown a habit of running off when I’m asleep… ~bites his lip, knowing that with the wall he should be able to tell the Master what happened without any consequences, his gaze dropping away from the Master~

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor curiously, getting the basic idea of what he’s thinking~ so does this mean you can tell me what happened now? ~speaking quietly~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, nodding slightly~ yes… but a lot has happened since your semi-death. ~looks back at the Master, it being very clear that he knows what the Master’s really talking about~

MASTER:

But surely not all of it was bad? ~asks insistently, hoping to at least be able to figure out how much he’s forgotten~

DOCTOR:

~smiles a little~ of course not… we went to a parallel’s Gallifrey, you got disconnected from Aperture, my ankle was healed…

MASTER:

Your ankle? ~glances downward in thought, shooting the Doctor being one of the things he’s forgotten; the wall seems to be working nicely so far~

DOCTOR:

Oh, right… well, long story short, you shot me in the ankle. It’s better now, though, like I said. ~feels relieved that the wall’s working though recounting the things that have happened since the Master “died” isn’t exactly fun to him~

MASTER:

~nods, smiling slightly~ good. ~notices the Doctor’s discomfort and mentally offers that they do this sometime later~

DOCTOR:

~responds to that the memories aren’t going to get better—what’s done is done—and he’s fine with telling the Master what he wants to know, giving a sort of counter offer that they continue but simultaneously go somewhere to do something~

MASTER:

~leans on the Doctor’s shoulder gently, quietly sighing and mentally accepting the Doctor’s offer instead~

DOCTOR:

Alright; where should we go? ~gives a bit of a smile, not knowing whether or not to expect the same answer as last time. Suddenly remembers the Master’s fatigue, his tone changing from excited to softly understanding~ or do you want to get rested up first?

MASTER:

~nods a little~ yeah… ~smiles and looks up at the Doctor~ how about you go and pick someplace while you’re waiting?

DOCTOR:

~smiles back at the Master~ alright; I’ll assume you know where the bedroom is by now. ~chuckles slightly at his own comment~ feel free to use the one directly across from the console room.

MASTER:

~looks amused, stepping away from the Doctor~ thanks. ~walks to the door, glancing back to see if the Doctor intends to follow before heading out into the hallway~

DOCTOR:

No problem. ~does follow a bit behind the Master, smiling at his own thoughts though they’re blocked from him in a way that seems almost unintentional~

MASTER:

~looks over his shoulder curiously and asks the Doctor what he was thinking, not making it seem like an answer is required as he peeks into the room across from the console room and decidedly walks inside~

DOCTOR:

~seems a little surprised by the question before remembering he had been blocking every thought relating to the past and explaining to the Master that he’s just glad he did what he did—though he doesn’t elaborate on that as he walks into the console room and sits on the bench~

MASTER:

~doesn’t ask for anything more, content with the Doctor’s answer; it doesn’t take him long to figure out that this is the Doctor’s room. Climbs onto the bed and feels he should be remembering something but isn’t, not dwelling on it as he nestles into the covers and falls asleep easily~

DOCTOR:

~thinks through planets and times and historic events, trying to think of something phenomenal and impressive but not plain showing off~

TARDIS:

~sees the Doctor’s train of thought and stirs excitedly, eager to help with deciding on a location. Suggests that they go to Earth for old times’ sake; perhaps the Master might be interested in the earlier days of human civilization~

DOCTOR:

~thinks it over, knowing that in some places and times they might land themselves a stoning if they’re remotely affectionate. Tries to think of an interesting time and place he hasn’t visited yet on Earth~

TARDIS:

~waves off the notion like it’s ridiculous, reminding the Doctor of the superior technological advantage they have~

DOCTOR:

~nods a little, accepting the TARDIS’ response as valid. Thinks Ancient Rome might be cool though last time that ended with Pompeii, also considering Greece, Stonehenge, and, as always, London~

TARDIS:

~seems content with any of these options, growing more and more eager to get going and start traveling again~

MASTER:

~at this point, is just faintly connected to the Doctor; but when given just a little more focus, he seems to be quietly dreaming of their old life back on Gallifrey and when they were in the Academy~

DOCTOR:

~smiles when he mentally checks on the Master, once again having to shake off regret and loss to just be happy with the way things are. Decides on Rome as it’s a bit iconic, knowing now that he’s decided he just has to wait~

TARDIS:

~tries to occupy the Doctor with casual conversation not relating to anything that’s happened lately, passing about a half an hour by~

MASTER:

~his dreaming has gone sour when events with Aperture get involved, along with a few memories that he shouldn’t have access to but they don’t seem to alter his state of mind, and he’ll probably forget them when he wakes up anyway; though it’s still cause for worry~

DOCTOR:

~frowns when Aperture gets involved in the Master’s dream, hoping the appearance of the memories in the dream don’t mean the Master has them, checking the wall with as much mental subtlety as possible~

MENTAL:

~the wall seems intact and stable, but as is true for almost any wall, there are ways around it. For now the small contributions to the Master’s dream are harmless since he doesn’t know they’re memories, but if it becomes more noticeable it might raise suspicions~

DOCTOR:

~decides to let the dream play out for now, worried by the memories but also feeling a little guilty—he chose the most rational choice, but he hadn’t really given the Master a choice. It was clear the Master couldn’t choose at the time, but maybe there had been a way to not force the other Timelord in either direction and still neutralize the problem…~

MASTER:

~after a few more minutes, the dream has deteriorated to the point where the Master ends up being startled awake, his mind becoming active again with negative emotions as the dream slips away from him and he tries to retrieve it~

DOCTOR:

~tries immediately to cover his worry and guilt, though he can’t do so completely, still looking at the floor and acting as if he hasn’t noticed that the Master’s awake, subtly trying to keep the Master from remembering the dream~

MASTER:

~eventually gives up on the dream, remembering just the last part—but it’s enough to keep him from being able to get back to sleep. Climbs out of bed and brings himself to full attention, asking the Doctor if he’s decided on a destination as he tries to focus more on the present~

DOCTOR:

~looks up from the floor, smiling but seeming a little distracted as well, responding that he has decided on a historic time and place on Earth~

MASTER:

~walks out of the room once he’s fully awake, walking into the console room and smiling good-humoredly~ you and your Earth.

DOCTOR:

~gets up once the Master walks into the room, smiling more genuinely at the Master’s response as he walks over to the console, looking at the Master~ it _is_ a quite remarkable planet, you have to admit! ~starting to get excited for the actual trip~

MASTER:

~shrugs slightly in indifference~ I suppose. I haven’t spent much time just looking around. ~his most prominent memory of Earth is when he destroyed it, though he doesn’t pay that much mind, remaining interested in finding out what makes Earth so appealing to the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~puts in coordinates that are clearly on Earth in the past, also thinking back to the Year that Never Was but dismissing the thought as he goes to take off, realizing the breaks are still off and leaving them that way as he pulls the takeoff lever~

MASTER:

So, would I know of whatever time period we’re going to? ~looks at the coordinates in interest, speaking as they go into flight only because the brakes are off and he is able to be heard~

DOCTOR:

~stops himself from automatically shouting~ maybe; I don’t know what time periods you’ve heard of. ~his tone turns humorous as he adds~ It’s before America was even found, I can tell you that.

MASTER:

~smirks slightly, but feels some relief that Aperture cannot exist at this point in time~

TARDIS:

~lands, and after a moment she assures them that she’s not in a dangerously open place~

DOCTOR:

~nods slightly, striding up to the TARDIS doors~ welcome to R—

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short.


	18. "Rome"

 

DOCTOR:

~opens the door slightly as he speaks, looking out and seeming a little perplexed~ Greece... why do I always get Rome wrong? ~Shakes his head slightly, smiling again, not seeming disappointed by the place they ended up~ well, equally good, I suppose.

MASTER:

Are they similar? ~walks up to the door and peers outside~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they've landed in a shaded alleyway, which leads off of a wider dirt path where other people are walking by. It looks to be about midday~

DOCTOR:

Similar time frame and location... this is much better than last time I tried to go to Ancient Rome, though. ~steps out of the TARDIS, stepping aside almost instinctively to let the Master exit~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor out, warily remaining close to the TARDIS and looking out into the street, waiting for the Doctor to lead the way as he doesn't really know what to expect~

DOCTOR:

~strides out towards the street, hands in his pockets~ so, Greece... where in Greece? ~looks up and around a little, smiling once he reaches a moderately busy street~ Athens. By the Parthenon. Not to be confused with the Pantheon, which is in Rome.

MASTER:

~quickly follows after the Doctor, pretending not to notice the confused looks being thrown their way~ what is the Parthenon? ~mentally asks the Doctor if he ever even tries to blend in when he travels~

DOCTOR:

It's a temple that served a good deal of purpose—the obvious one being religion. It's on the Acropolis, which is really basically a cliff. ~mentally responds casually in the negative, adding that he usually even asks people the year with the excuse that he's drunk, walking down the road toward the Parthenon~

MASTER:

~scoffs at the Doctor's mental response, done with asking questions for now as he looks around at the general area and nearby buildings, letting his mind wander as he tries not to focus on the drums right now~

ENVIRONMENT:

~it seems that they were really close by as they soon reach the great temple~

DOCTOR:

~starts to walk up to it but stops as he catches a bit of conversation, glancing around briefly before starting toward a particular group of people~

MASTER:

~notices the change in destination and follows quickly and quietly after the Doctor, listening intently as he doesn't want to miss anything~

DOCTOR:

~wakls up to the seemingly random group of people~ exuse me? Hi, um did I hear something about troubles in Delphi Theatre?

PEOPLE:

~the people look a little wary but one speaks in a gossiping tone~ Yeah, some say it's haunted. I personally think King Alexander's behind it.

PERSON2:

~looks over at the Doctor inquisitively~ and who might you be to ask such a question, strange sir?

DOCTOR:

I'm the Doctor. ~smiles in a friendly way~ and I'm purely curious as to what's been going on. As I'm sure everyone else is.

PERSON3:

~yet another member of the group joins in~ the Doctor of what?

PEOPLE:

~the rest look at the Doctor expectantly, like they had meant to ask the same~

DOCTOR:

~seems happy that they asked, not having heard the question in so long~ just the Doctor. No, I don't have another name people call me by; no, my profession isn't specific.

PERSON3:

~nods at the Doctor~ well then, welcome to Athens, Doctor.

PERSON1:

~after a moment, the person who had spoken first adds in a similarly hushed tone~ though, if I may inform you; it seems your companion has disappeared. ~looking over the Doctor's shoulder~

DOCTOR:

~whips around at the statement~ damn it. ~looks back at the group~ thank you. Sorry, I should really make sure that man doesn't get into trouble. It was nice meeting you all. ~checks mentally to see if he can get a location and reassurance of the Master's well-being~

PEOPLE:

~the group gives a few small farewells~

MASTER:

~sincerely assures the Doctor that he's fine, but his location is not given and he doesn't seem to be visible at the moment~

DOCTOR:

~relaxes a bit upon the Master's reassurance, starting towards the doors of the Parthenon and asking someone standing by the door~ you don't happen to have seen a blonde man in odd clothing come this way? He'd be a bit shorter than me, he's my—friend.

MAN:

~he glances over at the Doctor with caution, looking the Timelord up and down before answering~ perhaps. I did see someone of similar description heading towards the Erechtheum ~gestures over to another temple further to the left of the Parthenon; it doesn't seem to be fully built yet~

DOCTOR:

~smiles~ thanks. ~starts toward the Erechtheum, finding the man's response to him a bit odd, hoping the Master didn't do anything regrettable considering he has the drums, not leaving the thought open to the Master~

ENVIRONMENT:

~in between the two temples there's another small building whose purpose isn't immediately obvious; as the Doctor nears the half-built Erechtheum, those around it start to notice him~

MASTER:

~before the people can decide to approach the Doctor the Master proudly strolls out from around the corner of the building, followed at a distance by a young-adult male who looks aghast~

DOCTOR:

~his eyes instantly lock onto the Master, the atmosphere of the situation letting him believe the other Timelord either used his laser or did something else way out of line. Anyone nearby would be able to tell he knows and fears the Master, though he's more worried than afraid at the moment~

MASTER:

~meets the Doctor's gaze, giving him a casual shrug and a smirk as he strides through the thin crowd of people easily, his Athenian follower hurrying after him~

PEOPLE:

~those nearby move away from the two Timelords in a mixture of fear and awe~

MASTER:

~comes up to the Doctor with an innocent smile~ I can see the appeal of humans now; they're not as boring as I thought.

DOCTOR:

What did you do...? ~tries to sound more inquisitive than accusing, though it's clear he assumes it was something bad, adopting a slightly more casual demeanor~ they're looking at us like they'd look at gods—or at least demigods.

MASTER:

~grins, speaking in Gallifreyan~ {We might as well be.} ~pulls his laser out of his pocket and twirls it harmlessly in his hand, watching as everyone turns to him and backs away, except for the young Athenian~

ATHENIAN:

~waits a few feet behind the Master~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, switching to Gallifreyan as he speaks~ {We're allowed to travel to history, but we're not supposed to end up in history books.} ~switches back to English~ you know by now that I don't look down on them.

MASTER:

~shrugs, still speaking in Gallifreyan~ {Time will fix itself. Why not have a little fun while we're here?}

PEOPLE:

~only seem more convinced by the foreign language being used~

MASTER:

~fires his screwdriver once at the ground and those nearby scatter~

DOCTOR:

~speaks in Gallifreyan again as there's no use in trying to act casual now~ {Because playing god never ends well!} ~covers a memory that's prominent in his mind, though not as well as he would have if it were one of the ones the Master lost~

MASTER:

~doesn't try to uncover the memory, putting his screwdriver away after a moment of thought~ {Oh, fine.} ~transitions back to English~ you're boring.

DOCTOR:

~goes to English as well~ I'm _responsible;_ there's a difference. ~sighs, going back to speaking in Gallifreyan~ {the problem being that now they all think we're gods and there's probably no convincing them otherwise.}

MASTER:

~scoffs disbelievingly~ responsible? ~looks around at the group of people and notices a few of them have headed off towards the Parthenon~ It probably doesn't help that they can't understand what you're saying either.

DOCTOR:

~speaks English again~ like I said; after what they've seen, there's no point in _trying_ to change their mind. And yes, responsible—sure, I change the course of time a bit but I'm not known beyond those I've been in contact with and it only really changed history once.... And I consider what I did that time a mistake.

MASTER:

Aren't you some sort of universal legend at this point? ~rolls his eyes slightly, after a moment turning towards the man waiting behind him and making a small outward gesture~

MAN:

~nods and steps back, then runs off towards the Parthenon~

DOCTOR:

Alright; responsible or not, I'd say it's fair to guess that my conscience is just a bit more stable than yours at the moment. ~is starting to get a bit agitated by the Master's demeanor~

MASTER:

~senses the Doctor's agitation, turning back to him and folding his arms~ alright, alright. I won't do it again.

DOCTOR:

~doesn't seem to regard the Master's word as highly as is normal~ fine; what now? ~is about to just take the drums as the Master had trusted him with doing when he remembers that the Master doesn't remember, backing off from the Master's mind~

MASTER:

We were heading to the Parthenon, were we not? ~is confused by the Doctor feeling obligated to take the drums, giving him a somewhat wary look~

DOCTOR:

~answers to the Master's confusion before his actual question~ sorry; we had made a sort of deal before. It wasn't really official, but whenever either of us felt you needed or even if you just wanted a break you'd let me take them as long as I promised to never keep them for a long period of time. Also, yes, but I heard rumor something's been going on at the theatre. We could, of course, see both.

MASTER:

Sure; the Parthenon's still closer, though. ~starts walking across the empty space between the Erechtheum and the Parthenon, not asking about the deal since he doesn't remember making it~

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master easily, knowing that it'll be impossible to do anything subtly now that they've been labeled as gods~

MASTER:

~stops suddenly at a point almost directly in between the two temples, taking a small step back and looking down at the brown leather leash that had been under his foot, crouching down to pick it up and look around in confusion; nothing seems to be nearby except for a faint depression in the ground. Turns to the Doctor~ is this your...?

DOCTOR:

~his eyes widen slightly as he looks the leash over, nodding slightly and actually looking afraid for the first time since the Master held him against the breaker room wall~ yes... but I left that back in-... Hell.

MASTER:

~is thoroughly perplexed at this point, looking down at the leash in his hand and growing worried by the Doctor's fear, speaking quietly~ but then how is it here?

DOCTOR:

Exactly... ~swallows, trying to look okay and not mentally panic, forcing a smile~ w-well, you did promise to find the time to get me a leash—granted, you were taunting me—but... ~decides to give up on trying to make this more lighthearted, his eyes fixed on the leash~

MASTER:

~hesitantly offers the lead to the Doctor since it's probably meant for him~ I... ~seems to notice something~ wait, wasn't there another building here? ~looks around the empty space they're standing in~

DOCTOR:

~thinks for a second, nodding slowly and taking the leash, pocketing it~ yes... There was... ~smiles slightly~ never have I hoped so much that something was time going screwy...

MASTER:

~shakes his head slightly and looks toward the Parthenon~ let's just... hope it's nothing. It's really all we can do.

DOCTOR:

It's never nothing... ~walks toward the Parthenon, his spirit seeming almost nonexistent especially by comparison to right before they left the TARDIS~

MASTER:

~follows after the Doctor, walking beside him and reaching over to hold his hand as an attempt at reassurance~

DOCTOR:

~wraps his hand around the Master's, admitting to himself that it does make him feel a little better as he walks towards the Parthenon, focusing a little on his sense of smell to try to be more sure of his environment~

MASTER:

~subtly uses the connection to comfort the Doctor as well, though he doesn't fully understand why the appearance of the leash frightened the Doctor so much~

MAN:

~the same man as before is standing by the entrance to the temple, looking surprised at the fact that the two Timelords are holding hands, but he steps aside and nods to them welcomingly despite the fact~

DOCTOR:

~gives a little smile, deciding not to explain his reaction to the leash unless the Master asks directly, nodding in thanks to the man by the door, thinking that maybe if people start getting homophobic he'll let the Master smite someone, clearly not really meaning it but managing to amuse himself enough that with the Master's help he gets his mind off of the leash and the building~

MASTER:

~gets excited for a moment until he realizes the Doctor is kidding, growing minorly disappointed as he walks with the Doctor into the temple, where a considerable group of people are gathered~

DOCTOR:

~chuckling slightly at the Master's disappointment, responds that maybe, if the people do something that's really out of line, he'll let him smite _one_ human as long as they aren't extremely significant to history, but otherwise no one is dying. Looks around at the group of people to figure out what's going on~

CROWD:

~they seem to have been congregating until the Doctor and the Master arrive, after which they turn around and bow respectfully, excitedly approaching the Timelords and beckoning them into the room with friendly smiles~

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor's hand to stroll into the crowd, accepting the attention and enjoying the hell out of it~

DOCTOR:

~follows a little more warily than the Master, trying to remember something—anything—about Greek worship. What are they even considering them; gods? Messiah? Not to mention that there are tiers in both categories...~

CROWD:

~gets a little touchy, but nothing more than brief and friendly~

ENVIRONMENT:

~The Timelords are led further into the temple, which is lined with shrines and candles and such; the Doctor and the Master end up in a small clearing, where the people look at them as if they're expected to do something~

DOCTOR:

~tries to think something up, figuring there's absolutely no saying they're not gods now, as that can't end well, so deciding it's best to just play along—maybe it'd be okay to have just a little fun with this. Fails to think of anything fitting to say, glancing over at the Master~

MASTER:

~nudges the Doctor forward with his forearm, stating mentally with a small, amused chuckle that the best he can think to say right now is "we come in peace", which probably isn't what these people are looking for and might not be true anyway~

DOCTOR:

~stops himself from laughing out loud at the Master's statement~ hello, mortals of Athens... ~tries to keep a straight face, finding this all ridiculous~ we come from—Olympus—as there have been troubles amongst the gods. We walk amongst you now on the surface as we must in order to deal with said troubles.

MASTER:

~also has difficulty being serious about this, biting his tongue to keep himself from laughing; though he has to mentally praise the Doctor for his clever improvisation~

CROWD:

~they seem both pleased and troubled by this, eventually quietly applauding in acceptance~

DOCTOR:

~lets himself smile a little at the praise and applause~ thank you for your hospitality, it will not be forgotten. ~looks over at the Maser, guessing that they're allowed to go now~

MASTER:

~nods slightly, smiling too as he steps forward into the crowd~ we'll be on our way now.

CROWD:

~parts easily for him~

MASTER:

~glances back at the Doctor before heading towards the exit~

MAN:

~the man who had been following the Master earlier comes out of the crowd and waits by the door~

DOCTOR:

~follows behind the Master, his gaze shifting to the man by the door, thinking that—despite the need for him to make the speech—the Master's the one who's more capable of acting like the traditional god~

MAN:

~takes a small step forward, causing the Master to stop as the Athenian nervously speaks~ m—may I accompany you, Master?

MASTER:

~pauses for a moment, a little longer than necessary, before nodding~ as long as you don't get in our way, Lucius.

DOCTOR:

~chuckles lightly at the irony in Lucius' name, looking at the Master and not objecting to his bringing a human along—that would just be hypocritical~

MASTER:

~looks back at the Doctor and asks him what's so ironic, gesturing briefly to Lucius for him to follow before heading out of the Parthenon~

DOCTOR:

~responds while following " _Lucy_ -us? Alright, Mr. Saxon." Starts in the direction he knows the theatre's in once they get out, not expecting for the Master to know where it is~

MASTER:

~responds indignantly, scowling a bit at the Doctor and adding a little slyly "That's _Master_ to you, my dear."~

LUCIUS:

~follows behind the two Timelords, hopelessly perplexed by the non-verbal exchange~

DOCTOR:

~is a little taken aback by the Master's response, still walking along in the direction of the theatre. "I was the only one who called you 'Master' that whole time, wasn't I?" Responds thoughtfully~

MASTER:

~shakes his head slightly; "Didn't Jack call me Master? Once or twice."~

DOCTOR:

~"Oh yeah; me, Jack, and the Toclafane then." Glances over at Lucius, realizing how confused the man is by now and smiling apologetically before turning back to the theatre, which is by now within view~

MASTER:

~peers down into the wide amphitheater~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a few people—less than usual—are gathered, for what looks like is going to be a show~

DOCTOR:

So, where should we sit? I'm assuming whatever's been happening is in plain sight based on the rumors.

LUCIUS:

~gestures to an area closer to the top of the amphitheater~ it's easiest to see either at the back or the very front. Though, I wouldn't recommend sitting up there... it could be dangerous.

DOCTOR:

What kind of danger? I assume you don't expect to fall, so what's up there? ~looks at Lucius inquisitively~

LUCIUS:

Well... it's closer to the stage. I heard some strange things have happened there lately.

DOCTOR:

So have I. ~gives a slight grin~ makes me wonder what it is. Come on, you're with two gods... what could possibly go wrong? ~knows that _everything_ could go wrong, liking the adventure aspect to it all~

LUCIUS:

~looks a little panicked~ no, I, wasn't saying you couldn't watch from there, just...

MASTER:

~nods dismissively at Lucius to inform him that he's made his point~

DOCTOR:

I... wasn't saying you were... you know, it's probably best we see what's happening before jumping in anyway. ~looks over to the Master as if his word is what actually counts~

MASTER:

~rolls his eyes slightly, walking down into the amphitheater~ come on. ~heads to the front seats, where absolutely no one else has chosen to sit~

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master easily, getting what he wanted anyway and hoping Lucius' panic was purely from his beliefs and the fact that he thinks they're gods, not anything the Master may have done~

LUCIUS:

~sits a few steps behind the Doctor and the Master after they get to the front, seeming wary~

MASTER:

~assures the Doctor he did nothing more than use his laser screwdriver, seeming a little exasperated~

DOCTOR:

~defensively states that he can never predict what the Master's going to do, looking at the stage and wondering what "show" is going to happen~

MASTER:

~looks down at the ground, mentally replying that what's bothering him is more the fact that the Doctor barely trusts him at all, going back to the topic of his missing memories and wondering what he's done to make himself so untrustworthy~

DOCTOR:

~responds by stating that he will tell the Master what happened once they're back in the TARDIS, knowing he'll have to tell him sooner or later~

MAN:

~A man walks out to center stage confidently and people go quiet~

MASTER:

~looks up to focus on the man on stage, acknowledging the Doctor's reply~

LUCIUS:

~looks uneasy but stays where he is~

MAN:

~the man speaks, seeming to be the most confident person in the theatre~ welcome to Delphi theatre, and thank you all for coming despite the recent rumors. I'm Arastoo and I'll be hosting events today. ~he begins to list various activities planned for today~

MASTER:

~seems a bit puzzled, having expected a one-stop show and not a whole list of events, leaning back against the step behind him and acting like he's not paying much attention~

ENVIRONMENT:

~after the fourth event is listed, everything turns blurry~

ARASTOO:

~his confused voice can clearly be heard~ stay calm, everyone...

DOCTOR:

~immediately takes a disliking to the problem, trying to pinpoint exactly what has to be going on~

MASTER:

~sits up again, blinking a few times and looking around as he tries to figure out what's causing this~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the rest of the people in the theater seem ready to just up and leave at any moment, and some of them do~

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head slightly, unable to properly focus on anything as his vision blurs further~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the floor comes out from underneath them though they don't fall far before landing on a cushion of some description~

MASTER:

~is properly caught by surprise by this new development, after a moment scrambling to his feet and looking around to see if he can identify anything nearby and to check if his vision is still blurry~

DOCTOR:

~gets to his feet as well a few seconds after the Master, their visions both clearing up entirely after a minute or so. They're in a cavern of sorts under the Delphi theatre~ talk about a hollow stage...

MASTER:

What is this; a trap? ~looking around and searching for any sort of way out~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the people around them are panicking, except for Lucius, who's trying his best not to show it. The room is lit electronically by yellow-orange lights; a dark doorway leads into a hall to who-knows-where~

DOCTOR:

~hardly seems put off by the situation, speaking over the crowd~ Alright, you lot! Calm down, we'll be getting out safely, we just need to keep ourselves focused—however, if you're not the slightest bit scared by now you're an idiot. Now, names?

PEOPLE:

~the others eventually settle down and give their names one by one: Odin, his teenage daughter Nadia, and of course Arastoo~

LUCIUS:

~gives his name again anyway~

DOCTOR:

Alright; Odin, Nadia, Lucius, Arastoo, I'm the Doctor and this is the Master. Now that tha-

ENVIRONMENT:

~his speech is interrupted by a Silurian that enters the room~

SILURIAN:

Do not be afraid, my only job right now is to sterilize the apes.

DOCTOR:

~his eyes widen slightly and he seems to have to force himself to stay calm~

MASTER:

~turns quickly to face the Silurian, glaring at them in reaction to the Doctor's troubled state of mind~

ODIN:

~speaks up in confusion, staying close to Nadia and looking at the Silurian in fear~ apes?

DOCTOR:

Uh, sir, can I have a word with you?

SILURIAN:

~walks up to the Doctor confidently, standing a yard away from him in order to not seen threatening~

DOCTOR:

I know you Silurians have a sterilization method that's harmless to humans—problem being it's not harmless to us. ~gestures to the Master~

ARASTOO:

~just seems desperately perplexed~

MASTER:

~glances over at the Doctor in surprise, murmuring to himself~ well _that's_ new. ~not having expected to be at a disadvantage compared to humans. Takes on a more cautious and defensive stance now, still prepared to attack the Silurian if need be~

DOCTOR:

~his tone changes to be more threatening~ so I do recommend you let us all out and stop whatever you're doing to the people of Athens before we stop it for you. ~mentally requests that the Master shoots one of the lights, explaining that they are sentient technology~

MASTER:

~grins and eagerly complies, pulling out his laser and firing a deadly shot at the nearest ceiling light, causing it to go out immediately with a few sparks~

LUCIUS:

~scrambles out from underneath it~

SILURIAN:

~raises its hands slightly as if in surrender~

DOCTOR:

~asks the Master if his laser has a stun mode of any sort~

MASTER:

~responds in the negative but aims his laser at the Silurian, adding that he _is_ capable of rendering him incapacitated if the Doctor permits~

SILURIAN:

~taps a badge on his shirt, the lights briefly going brighter~

DOCTOR:

Do it. ~whips out his own screwdriver to scan the area briefly before shoving it back in his pocket, speaking again~ alright, I know the way to the exit.

MASTER:

~makes a quick slashing motion with his laser across the Silurian's legs, injuring him just enough that he'll be unable to walk. Turns to follow the Doctor along with the others, not looking back at the Silurian~

DOCTOR:

~strides out the door and down the hallway, speaking loud enough for those behind him to hear~ alright; he sounded an alarm, so there are going to be soldiers after us. Stay alert, look out for each other, stay out of the way of the laser, and Master: if it gets to 'us or them', I can't believe I'm saying this, but shoot to kill.

MASTER:

~jogs up beside the Doctor, commenting a little overdramatically~ wow, the lizards must have really gotten on your bad side. ~grins with excitement, shifting the setting on the laser to fatal~

DOCTOR:

Silurians. To be blunt, their soldiers are irrational and I'm not dying today. You know that under any other circumstance I'd try to reason with them. It's a bad time and I'm running out of- ~ducks a shot from a Silurian gun as soldiers begin to come from the rooms on either side of the hall~ mercy.

MASTER:

You? ~fires at the Silurian who shot the Doctor, catching them in the arm~ run out of mercy? ~picks up the pace, followed closely by the rest of the group~

DOCTOR:

~turns left down another hallway~ happens when you spare the Devil herself.

ENVIRONMENT:

~there are cylinder-shaped Silurian teleport pods up ahead, just a bit further down the hall. A few Silurian soldiers pursue them, not shooting as they don't want the humans dead or injured~

MASTER:

~refrains from shooting again, breaking into a jog at the sight of the pods, glancing back to check that the humans are still following closely~

ENVIRONMENT:

~none of the humans have been taken and they are still close behind the two Timelords~

DOCTOR:

~runs ahead to set all the teleports to bring them to the surface using his sonic~

MASTER:

~keeps checking behind him to see how far away the Silurians are, catching up to the Doctor and slowing to a stop by the pods~ teleports?

DOCTOR:

Yup. There are, unfortunately, only four pods and they all can only fit one person. But you and I can hold up for a few extra seconds, right, Master? ~glances at the Master but doesn't give him time to answer~ Odin, Nadia, Arastoo, Lucius, get in the pods and press the big blue button in each of them.

ENVIRONMENT:

~they hurriedly comply, stepping into the pods and activating the teleports just as the Silurians catch up to the Doctor and the Master~

DOCTOR:

We don't want any trouble, just know the surface and the people on it are protected. ~sonics the teleports, running into one while mentally telling the Master to run into another and press the button~

MASTER:

~backs up as the Silurians advance, turning to run to the nearest pod, but one of the Silurians shoots him and hits him in the leg. Manages to stumble into the pod and activate the teleport without another injury~

DOCTOR:

~uses his sonic to set the teleports to shut down in a matter of seconds, his shoulder getting shot when he tries to dodge the Silurian attacks, hitting the button and narrowly dodging another shot as he does so, being teleported into the Delphi theatre's stage and using the sonic to disable the Silurian rigs up there~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the humans that were with them have run off already, except for Lucius, who was waiting for them near the top of the theatre~

MASTER:

~Limps over to the Doctor when he teleports and mentally asks what's left to be done about the Silurians~

DOCTOR:

~responds that they're trapped down there—he broke their teleports~ is everyone alright? ~mentally informs the Master that he can easily treat the Master's bullet wound (we're far enough in the past that Silurians should be using simple bullets), adding that he may need a little help with his own as it's in the back of his shoulder~

MASTER:

I think so. ~looks up to Lucius~

LUCIUS:

~nods in affirmation~

MASTER:

~looks back at the Doctor, glancing at their wounds~ should we head back to the TARDIS, then?  
  
DOCTOR:

Guess so. ~starts up the steps of the Delphi Theatre, hoping the Master doesn't have much trouble from his leg though the Doctor's more than willing to help~

MASTER:

~limps his way up the steps, managing fine on his own. Stops briefly in front of Lucius to tell him that they're leaving now~

LUCIUS:

~looks astounded by the fact that the Timelords are injured~

DOCTOR:

~waits as the Master speaks to Lucius, adding to his farewell with the explanation~ immortal doesn't mean invincible.

LUCIUS:

~nods quickly, looking at the ground~

MASTER:

~catches up to the Doctor and continues walking close by his side, speaking after a moment~ that turned out well.

DOCTOR:

~walks in the direction he knows the TARDIS is in~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a lot of Athenians stopping what they're doing and just staring as the two Timelords pass~

DOCTOR:

Well enough, anyway; bit more guns and ominously off-putting inconsistencies than I would have liked.

MASTER:

~points out his sarcasm and tries to ignore the stares, limping along until they make it to the alleyway where the TARDIS was left. Starts to walk into the alleyway and notices that there's a pillar next to the TARDIS that wasn't there before~

PILLAR:

~starts to phase out with a familiar wheezing sound of takeoff~

DOCTOR:

Tav...? ~walks up to the TARDIS, opening the door and asking her if she knows what's going on, seeming concerned~

MASTER:

Um, who? ~follows the Doctor up to the TARDIS, knowing whatever that was it had to have been another TARDIS or some other kind of Timelord tech, which doesn't help his confusion~

TARDIS:

~replies that another Master, a future Master, has visited here with Tav a few times; seems worried~

DOCTOR:

~nods slowly, keeping the information from the Master and knowing this means one of two things—they're separated in the future or the TARDIS is separated from them... or Aperture comes back into play. Just continues to walk towards the doorway to the hall, his voice flat~ you'll figure it out; for now, you wanted to know what you did, didn't you?

MASTER:

~swallows, stepping into the TARDIS and closing the door before following the Doctor out into the hallway and answering a little hesitantly~ yes.

DOCTOR:

~sighs, having almost wanted the Master to respond in the negative~ alright; GLaDOS did something—more likely a series of things—and you didn't really want to leave Aperture, but you were going to try to work with me to escape. We got to the breaker room and all we needed to do was find the switch, then we'd be free. You stopped me from finding it, flipped a switch and left me to be delivered to GLaDOS' mainframe in such a way that GLaDOS herself was taken aback and reduced to pitying me by how harsh you were. That's all fine and good by now, I'd forgiven you for all that, but... the problem didn't leave when we escaped Aperture. ~opens the door to the medicine room~

MASTER:

~winces slightly, following the Doctor into the room~ what the hell could she have done to make me _want_ to stay in Aperture...? ~shakes his head at his rhetorical question. The wall is considerably strained at this point and is letting through barely noticeable bits of memories~

DOCTOR:

One night after we were free you were thinking about Aperture and I got upset, so you told me that you wouldn't want it any other way. The next "morning" you almost left me for Aperture... ~his voice wavers as he continues, getting out the few necessary materials~ I almost let you leave but you had me fix it and now I've almost broken it again. The second you get those memories back you won't be able to choose between me and Aperture, and the same problems will ensue.

MASTER:

~quietly stands by the table, pulling out a chair and sitting down as he stares at the floor for a while. He's been thinking too much and has retrieved a small memory, blocking it from the Doctor as he believes it's harmless~ no, I didn't. ~speaks quietly~

DOCTOR:

Hm? ~looks over at the Master, confused as to exactly what he means by his statement~

MASTER:

I didn't almost leave you for Aperture. ~looks up at the Doctor to meet his gaze~ that's not where I was going.

DOCTOR:

~the statement takes him off-guard and he walks up and sits on his knees to inspect the Master's bullet wound, asking a little hesitantly~ then... where were you going?

MASTER:

~flinches slightly due to his wound, hesitating to reply~ Just... away. I don't remember exactly, but my reasoning was I should try not having either you or Aperture.

DOCTOR:

~doesn't respond, knowing an alternative to neither could have been both. Gets off that train of thought as he focuses on using a set of tweezers to get the bullet out of the Master's leg, muttering beforehand~ um, this is going to hurt, try to stay still...

MASTER:

~goes rigid, not having much trouble keeping still and even starting to relax a bit, not doing a very good job of keeping his enjoyment blocked from the Doctor~ I had tried all the other combinations already. ~at this point the wall seems like it's ready to fall apart at any moment~

DOCTOR:

I'm sorry... ~gets the bullet out of the Master's leg, setting it aside and mentally trying to reinforce the wall in any way he can~ you tried your hardest to make me happy and I can't seem to keep my mouth shut even for everything I wanted.

MASTER:

It's alright, Doctor. ~smiles slightly, seeming relieved as the Doctor's reinforcement keeps the other memories from coming through~ both of us have made some mistakes along the way.

DOCTOR:

Thanks. ~picks up the bandages, remembering the Master's disliking to them and mentally stating that he's just doing it enough so that he doesn't bleed to death, bandaging the wound minimally and grimacing at the pain in his own shoulder as he has to use both hands to bandage anything~

MASTER:

Alright, your turn. ~stands up once the Doctor finishes, motioning him into a chair and standing behind it as he reaches around the Doctor's waist to unbutton his suit jacket and help him out of it~

DOCTOR:

~easily complies, appreciating the Master's assistance as it's exponentially better than having to try to reach around and work with a wound in the back of his own shoulder~

MASTER:

~helps the Doctor take off his undershirt too, setting his slightly bloodied clothes on the table and cleaning the Doctor's wound gently, wiping the tweezers off before going to use them~

DOCTOR:

~stops himself from instinctively moving away from the Master, keeping himself still~ you know what's kind of funny when you think about it?

MASTER:

Hm? ~works at the bullet, getting it out and tossing it onto the table~

DOCTOR:

A month or so ago, we didn't want to share the same elevator—and it was a decently sized elevator. I wouldn't have trusted you with my sonic, let alone all this.

MASTER:

~cleans the wound again, starting to bandage it as he smiles~ then I guess we can't say Aperture never did us any good, can we?

DOCTOR:

~automatically wants to argue against the statement though he knows the Master's right, pushing the negative reaction back as he answers~ guess not. ~smiles as well, knowing the Master's statement was meant to be positive~

MASTER:

~finishes bandaging the Doctor's bullet wound, looking back at his bloody clothes in distaste~ you might want to get a different suit.

DOCTOR:

Probably; given that those have seen bullets and lasers and likely any other ammunition you can think of. ~stands once the Master's finished with his shoulder, looking over at his own clothing before gathering it and picking it up to carry it to the wardrobe~

MASTER:

~chuckles lightly and follows the Doctor out, reminding the Doctor of the various items still in his pockets in case he forgets about them~

DOCTOR:

Right; thanks. ~mentally checks with the TARDIS to be sure the wardrobe's still where it was before as he walks down the hall~

TARDIS:

~she replies in affirmation~

MASTER:

~limps after the Doctor~ no problem.

DOCTOR:

~tries to think of some way to start a conversation as he walks past the door to the console room~

MASTER:

~starts one telepathically after a moment, curiously asking the Doctor who Tav is~

DOCTOR:

~seems hesitant to answer as he's concerned about the wall, stating that Tav is a TARDIS from a parallel~

MASTER:

~continues carefully, asking whose TARDIS Tav is while reminding the Doctor he doesn't have to give an answer if he doesn't want to~

DOCTOR:

~answers with the true fact that he doesn't know who the original of Tav was, not saying who owns Tav now~

MASTER:

~doesn't keep questioning the Doctor, remaining quiet until they reach the doorway to the wardrobe~

DOCTOR:

~walks inside once they get to it~ I'll be back in a minute, I guess... ~shrugs, starting up the staircase to look around for a new set of clothing~

MASTER:

~teasingly reminds the Doctor to not forget his leash, leaning back on the wall beside the door and waiting until the Doctor is out of sight before strolling around the first level to browse and pass the time~

~•~

DOCTOR:

~after a short while, he comes back down in a navy blue suit with a lighter blue swirly pattern and a black trench coat of a similar style to his other one. His undershirt is plain white and it's unclear whether or not he intended to not wear a tie. The mood of the whole thing is broken a little comically by his bright red converse~

MASTER:

~puts down something he was looking at and walks over to the Doctor, smiling as he looks him up and down, liking the lack of a tie as it brings more attention to his collar~ looking good, as always.

DOCTOR:

~smiles in response to the compliment, getting visibly more confident and blushing slightly. Upon closer examination it's evident that he has managed to reattach the leash and move it behind him and under the trench coat so it's less noticeable~ thank you. So, what now?

MASTER:

More traveling? ~suggests with a grin, turning slightly towards the hallway~

DOCTOR:

Guess so. Any requests? ~starts towards the door to the hall, still looking over at the Master, smiling~

MASTER:

~turns and follows him~ sure, um, how about... ~shakes his head~ I really don't know. Someplace new.

 


	19. Legend

DOCTOR:

~leaves the wardrobe and walks down the hall easily, thinking aloud~ I can do new, easily; new to me, though? Maybe a legend, somewhere that’s considered a myth…

MASTER:

Sounds good to me. ~limps after the Doctor, his stride a bit more consistent than earlier because of the treatment of his wound~

DOCTOR:

~slows his stride just slightly out of courtesy for the Master~ I remember meeting Satan—and I don’t mean _her,_ I mean an actual proper beast chained in the depths of an impossible planet in a “pit” or “cage”… that was interesting. It was one of the few times something challenged my reality.

MASTER:

So… was it actually Satan then? ~catches up to the Doctor with the slowed pace, walking beside him as they turn the corner at the end of the hall~

DOCTOR:

I never found out. You know I don’t consider myself a religious person; I’d like to say I never live by absolutes, but I realized even I have set limits on the universe. He said he came from before time, and of course I said that’s impossible, but I had nothing to back it up. The writing on his walls was so old that the TARDIS couldn’t translate and some unkown force was keeping the planet in orbit around a black hole; the evidence was there, but it didn’t fit my rules—my religion.

MASTER:

That does sound quite impossible… ~trails off in thought, decidedly changing the topic~ so, do you have anything in mind?

DOCTOR:

Right, yes. ~his focus easily shifts back to the task at hand~ I heard that there’s a planet that is sentient and has the single goal of keeping everyone on it alive, so it tries to hide from alien threats. There are billions of theories as to what it’s like on the planet itself, but no one’s proven any of them.

MASTER:

Why not? ~wonders what a planet itself could do about keeping hidden, and also if it’s killed anyone trying to visit as he walks into the console room~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, striding up to the console to input the coordinates, stopping himself from grimacing at his shoulder~

MASTER:

~dislikes his question being avoided, sighing lightly but not pressing the Doctor for an answer as he strolls around the console casually and briefly checks what coordinates the Doctor puts in~

DOCTOR:

~senses the Master’s disliking~ no one has proof because no one has ever found the planet. Hence the whole “it hides from people” legend. There’s a solar system that’s believed to contain it, so I suppose it’s best to start there.

MASTER:

So we basically have no clue whether it actually exists or not. ~seems enticed by the mystery, ready to get started~

DOCTOR:

~flips the takeoff lever and flamboyantly flies the TARDIS as he speaks, able to do so as the breaks are still off~ see, I like you. Well, isn’t that bloody obvious—what I mean is any human would have said I’m crazy for wanting to look for something that might not even exist.

MASTER:

~smiles and chuckles in amusement, stepping back to allow the Doctor room to do his thing~ crazy is good.

DOCTOR:

To an extent, yes. I mean, being absolutely sane would be boring! ~smiles as the TARDIS stops but doesn’t land, checking something on the monitor before walking up to the doors~

MASTER:

Agreed. ~grins as he follows the Doctor up to the doors, glancing at the monitor briefly while doing so~

DOCTOR:

~opens the doors~ and if I’m right… yes.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the planets in the solar system outside are neatly aligned~

DOCTOR:

Happens once every couple millennia, and I got it right! It should make the one we’re looking for easier to find.

MASTER:

~peers outside and smirks slightly~ it’s not every day that you actually get a time and place right. ~ruffles the Doctor’s hair playfully~~ so, we’re looking for an invisible planet?

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the hair ruffle~ basically. Though, if it really is sentient, I wonder if it could control its orbit; because, if I were a hiding planet, I’d want to avoid aligning myself with the others.

MASTER:

It’s still a giveaway if there’s a gap. ~brings an arm around the Doctor’s waist~ I’m assuming the scanning technology in the TARDIS won’t work.

DOCTOR:

Probably not to find the planet given the fact that others have probably searched for it before and I’m assuming they had scanners. ~drapes his own arm over the Master’s shoulders~

MASTER:

~smiles and snuggles up to the Doctor’s soft trench coat for a few moments~ now the question is, how should we go about looking for it?

DOCTOR:

Well, we could look for a gap in the alignment, or an inconsistency in the stars, as I’m sure it’s some sort of cloaking and not invisible.

MASTER:

Someone should have been able to find it by now. ~pauses for a moment in thought~ perhaps they have…

DOCTOR:

What are you getting at? ~looks at the Master in confusion, thinking through what he said~

MASTER:

It’s possible the planet was either invaded already, destroyed, or those who found it were unable to leave. Which may or may not mean they were killed.

DOCTOR:

So… bad idea? Because you have to admit a sentient planet seems cool. I’ve run into a sentient sun before—that wasn’t fun—but never a sentient _planet._

MASTER:

Maybe. But has danger ever stopped you before? ~looks up at the Doctor as he brings his other arm around him~

DOCTOR:

~grins back at the Master, turning to face him~ apparently not; you’re still here, aren’t you?

MASTER:

~laughs at that, wrapping his arm properly around the Doctor and nestling against his chest~ that I am.

DOCTOR:

Thank God for that… ~smiles, wrapping his own arms around the Master in a hug, again feeling as if he just might have this forever and immediately stifling the dangerous hope~

MASTER:

~relaxes and closes his eyes for a bit, running his hands up and down the Doctor’s back slightly. Eventually pulls back but not away from the Doctor’s arms~ so, should we come to a consensus?

DOCTOR:

Yes; I’m fine with going through with the original plan of find it and landing to see what’s there to see. Maybe we should be a bit more careful than normal, though… I’m really okay with anything right now, though.

MASTER:

~nods, turning his head to look outside, resting on the Doctor’s chest and smiling~ alright. Have you found any clues to where it is?

DOCTOR:

~squints a little and looks at the solar system for a moment, speaking excitedly afterwards~ yes! I have now. The planet’s in the alignment, there. ~points to a seemingly empty space~ because, if I remember correctly, those stars should be behind us.

MASTER:

~doesn’t seem inclined to step away from the Doctor, but his grip is loose~ perfect. Shall we, then?

DOCTOR:

~his own grip loosens on the Master’s statement~ guess so. ~brings his head down to briefly kiss the Master, smiling widely afterwards and letting his arms drop as he goes to back out of the Master’s arms~

MASTER:

~grins back, taking hold of the Doctor’s suit jacket and kissing him again before letting the Doctor step away from him, going to close the doors~

DOCTOR:

~walks back to the console once the Master lets him go, grinning happily. Puts in the coordinates to the sentient planet~

MASTER:

~walks over to stand at the Doctor’s side, glancing at the coordinates~ you know, I really don’t mind if you keep the brakes on.

DOCTOR:

You sure? ~looks over at the Master, remembering him stating that the noise and the drums together can cause a “godawful headache”~

MASTER:

Yeah. ~nods reassuringly as he replies, mentally opening the drums up to the Doctor for a brief few seconds; they’re surprisingly quiet~

DOCTOR:

~nods in understanding, glad the drums are so quiet at the moment. Puts the breaks back on before pulling the takeoff lever~

MASTER:

~holds onto the console as the TARDIS takes off and adds that they’ve been quiet for a while—since they came across the leash, actually~

DOCTOR:

The leash…? ~glances out of the corner of his eye as if to look at the leash despite the fact that it should be physically impossible for him to see it, getting a bit worried by the new information as he flies the TARDIS~

MASTER:

What about it? ~glances over at the Doctor in confusion, not sure how the leash would be significant in regard to the drums~

DOCTOR:

It’s not about the leash, it’s about the man in that TARDIS.

TARDIS:

~is having difficulty landing, as if she can’t find the ground; but she does, eventually, land~

MASTER:

Someone you know? ~seems a little concerned due to the Doctor’s own worry, however he’s excited by the fact that the TARDIS found land~

DOCTOR:

All too well, I’m afraid… enough of that, though. ~his demeanor changes entirely, seeming to have buried his previous distress as he goes to the monitor to check what’s outside~

MASTER:

~only becomes more worried and confused by the Doctor’s response, trying to remember if he knows anyone else who is capable of flying a TARDIS~

TARDIS:

~her monitor displays blackness; the planet is probably still blocking the TARDIS—that, or they’ve landed on nothing~

DOCTOR:

Whelp, no way of seeing this planet from here, I guess we have to check ourselves. ~walks over to the doors, trying a bit too hard to avoid the topic at hand~

TARDIS:

~seems a bit distressed, finding herself incapable of carrying out her normal functions apart from flying and life support~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the planet outside is a pale landscape with ample vegetation and a large stream running nearby; there are also many (very) large willow-like trees, with what looks like small houses in their thick branches~

DOCTOR:

~mentally comforts the TARDIS as he questions whether or not exploring would be a good idea, asking the Master as well. Looks at the grand trees in awe~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the area feels encompassed with a protective presence, most likely the planet itself~

MASTER:

~replies with a “why not?” as he surveys the area with interest~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the housing in the tall trees looks like it’s made for something generally smaller than the average human or Timelord~

DOCTOR:

~steps out of the TARDIS a little hesitantly, concerned by her distress but still rather intrigued by the new planet, looking around at the giant trees with the small houses, wondering exactly who lives here and hoping the planet’s methods of removing people isn’t extremely unpleasant~

MASTER:

~waits by the doorway for a moment before stepping out after the Doctor~

ENVIRONMENT:

~there is movement in the trees, and upon closer inspection the occasional humanoid nymph-like creature can be seen, either entering houses or gliding from branch to branch using innovative apparel~

DOCTOR:

~walks up to one of the trees, gently resting a hand on it as he speaks softly, looking up into the branches~ hello…? Terribly sorry if we’re intruding on something… ~seems almost nervous but also extremely excited and entranced—a _new_ species; one he never ran into before, one he hasn’t even heard of or learned about~

MASTER:

~cautiously follows the Doctor up to the tree and jumps back slightly as a four-foot fall door opens just above the Doctor’s head~

CREATURE:

~one of the creatures peers out—smaller than the rest, probably a child—and looks back at the Doctor with a similar wonder and curiosity, making a sort of excited chattering sound~

DOCTOR:

~smiles and looks up at the small creature~ hello there, I’m the Doctor… if you can understand me. Right, her other functions weren’t working, we have to deal with the language barrier…

CREATURE:

~it chatters back to the Doctor before scuttling back into the tree~

MASTER:

~replies~ so the TARDIS’ translator’s not working?

DOCTOR:

Unless that sounded like any language you’ve heard. ~his eyes stay curiously fixed on the doorway, expecting for more to come~

CREATURES:

~two others come up to the door, adults this time; genders seem to be a bit fuzzy with this species, but it’s safe to assume one is female and the other is male~

FEMALE:

~crouches down and reaches out to the Doctor, running a hand gently down his nose and making a happy trilling sound towards the male, not seeming scared at all by the Timelords~

DOCTOR:

~sets a hand on his own chest to gesture to himself~ the Doctor. ~gestures over to the Master~ the Master. ~gestures to the two creatures~ you? ~hoping to get some communication established~

FEMALE:

~replies with a noise that sounds vaguely like ‘doctor’~

MALE:

~dives out of the door, catching a breeze and swooping upward to the nearest branch, latching onto it as he disappears into the leaves~

MASTER:

Rude much? ~comments quietly, folding his arms~

DOCTOR:

~mentally states that there’s no way of knowing what’s rude by the creatures’ standards, gesturing exaggeratedly as he speaks to the remaining creature~ yes, I’m the Doctor; what is your name?

FEMALE:

~she squeaks and steps backwards in surprise at the sudden gesture, looking up at the trees and making a few clicking noises~

ENVIRONMENT:

~Communication has proven to be exceedingly difficult when this species’ language seems to consist of just trills, chatters, and clicks~

DOCTOR:

Sorry. ~knows his apology won’t do any good, letting his gaze drop and his shoulders slump in a way that makes him seem smaller and even less intimidating than usual, giving up on trying to get a name~

MASTER:

~makes a small noise of distress at how endearingly sad the Doctor looks, ending up being more affected by the Doctor’s communication of emotion than the creature is~

FEMALE:

~doesn’t seem frightened for very long, coming back to the doorway and trilling to the Doctor sympathetically~

DOCTOR:

~looks back up at the creature, careful not to make any quick or sudden movements this time, smiling a little after a short moment~

FEMALE:

~she stands up and steps aside, making an inquiring chatter as the child peers around her curiously. She seems to be inviting the Timelords inside~

DOCTOR:

~clearly accepts the invitation, hissing at the pain in his shoulder as he uses his arms to climb but managing to get up and in, sitting on his knees when he does~

FEMALE:

~she hisses back at the Doctor almost in encouragement, looking outside at the Master~

MASTER:

~seems reluctant to follow the Doctor~

ENVIRONMENT:

~inside the tree is a large hollow room, with a few shelves in the walls and cushioned sleeping areas in the floor~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles slightly as the creature clearly misunderstood his expression of pain—or maybe it understood it perfectly, how could he know? Looks over at the Master, mentally asking if he’s coming~

MASTER:

~he sighs and pulls himself up through the small door, climbing into the room and sitting beside the Doctor~

FEMALE:

~the creature doesn’t bother closing the door, bounding up to the Timelords and circling them once, coming over to crouch down beside the Doctor and curiously lift up the edge of his trench coat while occasionally making noises of wonder~

DOCTOR:

~lets the seemingly female creature look him over, knowing it’s quite possible she’s never seen anyone unlike herself, wanting to ask questions but knowing he can’t be understood~

ENVIRONMENT:

~after a few moments of this another one of the creatures comes down from a reasonably sized hole in the ceiling further towards the back of the room, followed by about five others~

FEMALE:

~stands back up and says something to the first of the new arrivals, and they look towards the Timelords~

DOCTOR:

~waves at them slightly, wondering what they’re saying and hoping the Master and him are welcome here~ ‘ello…

CREATURE:

~the leader of the official-looking group comes up to the Doctor, speaking to the others behind him briefly before tugging at the Doctor’s sleeve, indicating for him to follow the group as they head to the open door, one by one climbing out and starting to head up the trunk~

MASTER:

~gives them wary looks, however his curiosity is evident to the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~follows though it’s literally a pain to climb for him, mumbling to himself~ what do _they_ do if _they_ get injured? ~reasoning that that’s probably uncommon for this race~

MASTER:

~climbs out after the Doctor, following him up the trunk, the process painful for him too because of his leg~ oh, quit your whining.

CREATURES:

~they lead them up the trunk, heading out onto a branch that provides an easy route into the intermingled branches of another large tree~

DOCTOR:

~continues to follow the creatures, retorting grumpily like a scolded child~ easy for you to say, you’re the one with the addiction.

MASTER:

~limps along the branch after the Doctor and the creatures~ it’s not like pain isn’t painful to me. ~carefully steps onto the branch belonging to the second tree~

ENVIRONMENT:

~it seems like they’re being led to a large important-looking building built into the tree’s trunk~

DOCTOR:

I know… I’m sorry. ~seems genuinely apologetic, remembering something but not letting the Master see what. Turns his focus to the building ahead, becoming alert as he doesn’t know whether to expect a welcoming ceremony or a sacrifice~

MASTER:

~mentally accepts the apology, going quiet as they approach the building~

CREATURES:

~their escorts wait by the doorway and look between the Timelords and inside the room, motioning for them to continue inside~

DOCTOR:

~glances at the smaller beings warily before compliantly stepping into the room, the first reason that he thinks of for the room being neurotoxin which just makes him more on edge though in the end the thought doesn’t make any sense~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Master follows the Doctor into a spacious room with a high ceiling that allows for the Timelords to stand up straight, where a small group of about five individuals are waiting~

CREATURE:

~One of them steps forward and nods to the two Timelords before approaching the Doctor, reaching up to take his hand as he telepathically asks for the Doctor to introduce himself~

DOCTOR:

~clearly wasn’t expecting telepathic communication though he easily answers~ the Doctor. I’m the Doctor. ~is more thankful than ever for telepathy and easy communication.

CREATURE:

~smiles and nods, asking the name of the Doctor’s companion and their purpose here, introducing their species as the Drynn~

DOCTOR:

He’s the Master. We’re here because I’m a bit of a traveler and this is the one place in the universe where I don’t know a thing about anything. We came to find something out about someone we don’t know; nothing specific, just pure curiosity. ~uses the telepathy to make his message clear~

CREATURE:

~he seems fine with this, nodding to the Master in acknowledgement as he makes it clear that the two Timelords are welcome here. Asks if the Doctor would like a translator to accompany him~

DOCTOR:

~thinks for a moment before answering~ yeah, that’d probably be really helpful, thanks. ~smiling and getting more at ease again as he’s been reassured of the peacefulness of the Drynn~ I’m guessing not every Drynn can communicate telepathically? Just because you’re the only one who’s done so.

CREATURE:

~nods, turning to gesture to the other four people in the room without letting go of the Doctor’s hand. Explains that it’s a rare gift and those who are given such abilities are considered leaders to the Drynn; he calls forward the youngest of the group verbally, informing the Doctor that this is Nyx, the newest telepath and the one that will serve as translator~

DOCTOR:

~nods, acknowledging the Drynn’s statement and thanking him again before turning and giving Nyx a friendly smile~

CREATURE:

~lets go of the Doctor’s hand and walks back toward the group~

NYX:

~smiles nervously up at the Doctor and reaches out telepathically just to introduce himself, his abilities seeming more powerful than expected as he doesn’t even have to make physical contact in order to communicate~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, using the fact that Nyx already reached out to respond mentally without touching him, stating that it’s nice to meet him and introducing himself. Looks over at the Master afterwards~ so; where to next? I’m sure there’s a lot to see and do… ~mentally asks Nyx if there’s anywhere interesting or important he can think of~

NYX:

~he replies with a small trill that the other Drynn would be happy to meet them, bounding ahead of the two and walking back outside as he continues to tell the Doctor that he’s awfully curious about the Timelords himself~

DOCTOR:

~lets the Master hear Nyx through the telepathic link so he knows what’s going on as he follows the young leader of the Drynn~ well, what do you want to know?

MASTER:

~is thankful for the connection~

NYX:

~strides along the branch back towards the other tree, seeming to lose his formality as he inquires about where they came from and what their home planet is like~

DOCTOR:

Gallifrey… ~describes it mentally as it makes him able to send pictures and memories, smiling sadly as it hasn’t been long for him and the Master can’t remember their little visit, he can’t let him remember. Gives his description in the past tense as it’s only accurate~

NYX:

~asks what happened to it, considering the Doctor’s use of the past tense~

MASTER:

~looks around as they pass houses and other Drynn, asking aloud~ how long did we stay on parallel Gallifrey?

DOCTOR:

~his gaze drops at Nyx’s question and he answers the Master first~ only a day or so. ~responds to Nyx with the simple statement he had said to the Master before, “it burned.”~

NYX:

~seems sympathetic towards the Doctor, stopping when they reach the trunk of the tree~

DRYNN:

~someone swoops by and playfully bats at Nyx~

NYX:

~makes a small annoyed hissing noise in resposne~

DOCTOR:

~sighs slightly, looking around himself a bit at the houses in the trees, asking Nyx if the Drynn ever leave the trees for anything, seeing the interaction and noting it but not bringing it up~

NYX:

~replies that most Drynn are content with staying in the trees, but leaving isn’t prohibited. He looks down at the ground, seeming intrigued as he explains that none of the Drynn would dare go near the ground, for fear of creatures fabled to live beneath the large, tangled roots of the trees~

DOCTOR:

Has anyone seen these… fabled creatures? ~instantly takes an interest to this legend on a supposedly mythical planet~

NYX:

~seems reluctant to answer~

DRYNN:

~the Drynn who had interacted with Nyx earlier lands in front of him and makes a teasing gesture~

NYX:

~chatters in annoyance~

MASTER:

~chuckles, leaving the question be and looking to the two Drynn, clearly finding the interaction amusing~ friend of yours?

NYX:

~looks over at the Doctor, trilling and correcting him with an exasperated introduction of his older sister, Rhoe~

RHOE:

~she takes off despite the lack of a good breeze and swoops over to the Doctor, latching onto his arm~

DOCTOR:

~almost stumbles back but stops himself, laughing good-humoredly once he regains his balance~ well hello then, Rhoe. I’m the Doctor.

RHOE:

~she chatters to him as she climbs up to the Doctor’s uninjured shoulder, weighing very little in comparison to her size. She sees the Master and uses the Doctor’s shoulder as a springboard, gliding to the other Timelord and climbing all over him, too~

NYX:

~calls out to her scoldingly and once he has her attention, offers a verbal translation of what the Doctor had said~

DOCTOR:

~mentally assures Nyx that it’s alright, though he’s not sure if the Master’s as okay with the Drynn’s actions as he is. Remembers his own brothers, not dwelling on the memory~

MASTER:

~looks uncomfortable but doesn’t push Rhoe away out of courtesy, considering that it would be a long fall from here to the ground—even though Rhoe could probably just glide back up, it’s the thought that counts~

DOCTOR:

~mentally speaks with Nyx apologetically, stating, “uh, on second thought, could you maybe get her off of the Master? He’s a bit less easy-going. Sorry.”~

NYX:

~bounds forward and makes an angered growling noise followed by a few clicks~

RHOE:

~at which she slips off of the Master and hesitates before diving off of the branch and gliding away~

NYX:

~apologizes to both of them, explaining that being overly touchy is normal for the Drynn and he didn’t realize the two Timelords might have different etiquette~

DOCTOR:

~nods, smiling~ it’s alright, you couldn’t have known. ~mentally, it’s clear he really doesn’t mind, he just knows the Master does and has a right to~

ENVIRONMENT:

~by now the other Drynn have noticed the Timelords and they’ve become the center of focus, hushed chattering in the branches around them becoming more audible. No one comes forward just yet though, probably because of Nyx’s warning~

NYX:

~readdresses the Doctor’s question about the fabled creatures with a confident ‘no’~

DOCTOR:

~nods, asking if the Drynn have ever considered the fact that maybe their whole planet’s alive and protecting them; explaining that that’s the legend he heard~

NYX:

~seems astounded by the notion, clicking in disbelief and stating if that’s true, the few Drynn who have fallen beneath the roots would have lived to tell the tale~

DOCTOR:

~realizes how sensitive a subject he may have hit upon Nyx’s statement, apologizing though he could easily continue to debate the possibility, though he really does want to find out the truth~

NYX:

~asks whether the Doctor means the truth about the planet or the truth about under the trees, assuring the Doctor that he’s fine with supplying information on any topic~

DOCTOR:

~responds carefully with the fact that it doesn’t sound like anyone knows for sure what’s under those trees and it’s clear they haven’t entertained the sentient planet possibility, adding that if he _really_ wants to know, he can find out himself~

NYX:

~looks around at the spectating Drynn, causing them to move away and go back to doing other things as he replies that none of them would stop the Doctor from investigating if he wanted to do so. Personally, Nyx seems enticed by the mystery of what’s down there, but he hadn’t intended to let the Doctor know that~

DOCTOR:

~picks up on the young Drynn’s curiosity, smiling~ Nyx… if we were to investigate… would you want to come with us? ~the question is sincere, knowing it’s highly likely that he and the Master will end up looking into this mystery~

NYX:

~is hesitant and a little wary, but eventually he does answer in the positive~

MASTER:

~has no doubt that they’ll end up investigating, though his main concern is whether or not they’d be able to fit down there~

DOCTOR:

~responds to the Master’s concern verbally as all the telepathic communication through his mind is getting to be a bit much~ we can probably manage; especially if there are actual monsters involved.

NYX:

~chatters nervously and asks if the Doctor intends to go right _now,_ not having expected a spur-of-the-moment decision~

DOCTOR:

~responds that they can go at any time as they really have all the time in this universe, asking what else there is to do and/or if there’s someone they should meet~

NYX:

~beneath his nervousness Nyx is excited, telling the Doctor that there’s plenty more to see—there are three other trees in this particular community, after all. Presents the options of touring them all, which would require a lot more climbing and travel; or going down below, for which Nyx would require a bit of time to get ready~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t know which he’d rather do, though he’s leaning towards just going underground, asking the Master about his opinion on the decision~

MASTER:

~he agrees with the Doctor’s preference~

NYX:

~senses his approval, the Drynn’s excitement spiking as he tells the Doctor to wait here until he gets back, which shouldn’t take long. Nyx pushes himself off of the branch and glides up into the branches, no longer speaking to the Doctor telepathically~

DOCTOR:

This is about as new as it gets. ~smiles, looking over at the Master. Seems rather pleased with himself, though the ability to please one’s Master isn’t usually considered honorable, though it’s not usually in this context~

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor smugly~ I can see your thoughts, you know. ~chuckles and nudges the Doctor’s side teasingly, although he can’t deny that he enjoys the Doctor’s current self-image. Looks thoughtful after a moment, wondering why the Doctor would even consider thinking like that in the first place~

DOCTOR:

~his gaze drops in embarrassment but only for a second, smiling as he doesn’t really mind. Answers the Master’s wonder~ it’s literally your name. Though the collar and leash don’t help it either.

MASTER:

I know, but you never really considered me superior to you… ~looks over at the Doctor inquisitively, feeling like there’s something he’s missing~ am I wrong?

DOCTOR:

~remembers being conditioned to the point where he recognized a bit of pressure on his shoulder as a command~ uh… I wouldn’t call it “superior” as much as I’d call it-… temporarily in control of. Once or twice.

MASTER:

~tries to pick up on what the Doctor’s remembering, getting just a bit of it and grinning slyly~ sounds a lot like superior to me.

DOCTOR:

W-well-… ~knows he really can’t argue this, trying not to focus on the memory or at least keep the Master from it as it was after the Master’s “death”~

MASTER:

~chuckles softly, stepping closer to the Doctor and bringing an arm around him~ sorry for anything I did. ~adds with a smirk~ If you didn’t enjoy it, of course.

DOCTOR:

It’s fine… it’s in the past. ~gives a smile, inwardly chuckling at “in the past”~ let’s just put the past a bit further behind us this time, eh? ~mentally admits to a minor enjoyment of the activity~

MASTER:

Alright, since you seem to like it that way. ~finds a little satisfaction in still remembering the Doctor’s attempted joke~

NYX:

~glides back down to them wearing a knapsack over his shoulders, informing the Timelords that he’s ready when they are~

DOCTOR:

Well, I don’t see any reason to hang around here, then. ~looks down off the branch at the roots, deciding jumping isn’t the best way down and turning to walk up to the trunk of the tree~

MASTER:

~peers down at the ground for a moment longer, giving a small hop and finding that jumping is actually quite easy. Reasons that this planet must have lower gravity than on earth, following after the Doctor~

NYX:

~makes his way down by gliding~

DOCTOR:

~half-climbs half-slides down the trunk of the tree, looking for an easy way to get under the tree without sawing or digging anything once he gets down as there’s still the possibility that this planet’s an animal~

ENVIRONMENT:

~Nyx and the Master meet him at the foot of the tree, where the ground is practically made of the thick, tangled roots of the massive trees~

NYX:

~walks around a bit, fearful and ecstatic, eventually finding a decent sized opening near the base of the trunk that leads underneath, where just a glimpse of a dark forest of roots can be seen~

DOCTOR:

~looks down into the opening, using his sonic to illuminate the area underneath the tree and see what’s there~ alright; time to figure out what’s really under the bed—metaphorically speaking.

NYX:

~trills in confusion, since the Drynn have beds that aren’t elevated and the metaphor doesn’t really work for them~

MASTER:

~teasingly nudges the Doctor forward~ ladies first.

DOCTOR:

~scowls at the Master~ you really still haven’t let that go? ~hops down into the hole, looking around himself~ either that or you just used the most old-school insult I’ve heard in a while.

MASTER:

~laughs, following the Doctor down into the opening along with Nyx~ whatever works for you.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the roots continue in every direction except for up, as thick as the average tree on earth but far enough apart that they can easily walk between them, and will have to watch their step to keep from falling in between~

DOCTOR:

~picks a direction at random and carefully starts walking, keeping his sonic on for the bit of light it provides~ well, if there are monsters, we certainly made a loud enough entrance to be noticed.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the small bit of natural light that had been coming through the roots above them slowly fades, but why is unclear because of the lack of light~

NYX:

~seems to glow slightly in the darkness, allowing for him to see where he’s going~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the area seems eerily quiet~

DOCTOR:

You know, I hate to make a good story dull, but maybe whoever fell down here got hurt in the fall and got lost while trying to find a way back up. Seems a bit far-fetched, especially considering each person would have had to get injured beyond being able to climb, but don’t monsters tend to make noise? ~immediately remembers the Vashta Nerada, growing a bit more uncomfortable with the shadows~

MASTER:

~slows to a stop, listening carefully for any movement and hearing a brief scraping sound just before something leaps out at him, yelping in surprise as he’s knocked back by the force of the collision and falls off of the root he was standing on~

DOCTOR:

Master! ~runs over to the root as fast as he can without falling, crouching and looking down, using the sonic to see~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Master’s laser fires once and the commotion dies down~

MASTER:

~stands up and gets a proper footing on another root about ten feet down from the other one~ I’m fine. ~looks up at the Doctor, then glances around himself~ don’t know where it went, though.

DOCTOR:

~seems to be a mixture of curious, afraid, and excited, relaxing slightly as he’s also relieved that the Master’s okay~ is there a way you can climb back up?

MASTER:

~shrugs~ not sure. ~twirling his screwdriver in hand, looks off to his left~ I really want to go after that little bugger.

DOCTOR:

We’re sure to run into it again if we don’t get the hell out of Dodge. The problem being not just whether or not you can climb back up, but I want to know why they attack. Nothing attacks for no reason…

MASTER:

 _Maybe_ it’s because they don’t know who we are or why we’re here. ~speaks like it’s the obvious answer, looking around to check if there’s a way back up to the Doctor and Nyx, finding nothing in his immediate vicinity~

DOCTOR:

And you say _I’m_ boring. ~doesn’t actually mean the statement, smiling and glancing around to check his own surroundings before looking back at the Master and asking~ so, what now?

MASTER:

Suppose we’ll have to go separate ways. ~twirls his laser once, as if to call attention to it~ I’ll be fine, though. And you’ve got the little guy with you.

DOCTOR:

Alright… ~clearly doesn’t want to leave the Master down there, adding~ don’t do anything stupid. ~stands, still looking down at the Master~

MASTER:

~glances downward, the memory of him advising the Doctor to do the same being relatively recent for him; nods, looking back at the Doctor~ I’ll try not to. ~reminds the Doctor of their telepathic connection before heading along the root in the same direction they had been going initially~

DOCTOR:

~starts backtracking along the root, intending to find the hole they entered through, remembering when the Master was dead and shaking his head, forcing himself to focus on the task at hand~

NYX:

~trails after the Doctor, confused as to why the Doctor is heading back to where they started, but not protesting outright~

DOCTOR:

I’m getting you out of here alive. What better exit than the one we already know exists? ~speaks to Nyx as he strides along the roots~

NYX:

~squeaks in protest, stopping in his tracks and refusing to be left behind; he got himself into this and he can’t back down now~

DOCTOR:

Nyx, ~sighs, deciding it best not to make excuses~ you’ve seen my thoughts, surely you know I can’t stand much more innocent blood on my hands. Please… let me get everyone out of this alive.

NYX:

~continues to protest that the Master gets to stay, despite the fact that the Doctor obviously cares for him more. Is about to add to his argument~

ENVIRONMENT:

~something small and sharp hits the Doctor in his arm, barely going through every layer of his clothing and not managing to fulfill its intended purpose~

DOCTOR:

Me and the Master are a bit less fragile, no offense. ~is speaking quickly now, realizing they’re under attack and pulling the sharp object out of his arm~ now do you want to die, or run? ~holds the handle of the stun gun in his pocket~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the thing the Doctor was attacked with is a needle of sorts, that looks like it was supposed to administer something~

NYX:

~seems happy to take the running option once he understands the situation~

DOCTOR:

Good. ~starts running, a bit slower than usual as he has to be sure not to fall~ in case you’re wondering what makes me and the Master more durable, there’s this thing called regeneration where we sort of cheat death. Of course, we _can_ die, we’re just really hard to kill. Also, we hate regenerating, so it’s a faulty system.

ENVIRONMENT:

~in the middle of the Doctor’s explanation another one of the needles gets shot at him, hitting him in the neck this time and properly working something into his system. It quickly makes him drowsy, which is probably a less drastic reaction than it would be for a Drynn~

DOCTOR:

~pulls the thing out of his neck, forcing himself to work through the drowsiness until they get to where they entered, offering Nyx assistance in getting back up through the hole~

NYX:

~is still obviously opposed to leaving, chattering angrily the whole time but accepting the Doctor’s help, reluctantly wishing the Doctor luck as he backs away from the opening hastily~

ENVIRONMENT:

~unseen creatures approach the Doctor with small shuffles and scrapes as another one of the darts his the Doctor in his leg~

DOCTOR:

~pulls out and shoots his gun blindly in the direction the needle came from, not stopping to take the thing out of his leg as he jogs back along the root, it taking all his effort to keep his focus as the darts quickly sap him of his energy, hoping the Master’s having better luck, checking over the telepathic link~

ENVIRONMENT:

~it doesn’t sound like the shot hit anything but a nearby root~

MASTER:

~Is fine, but immediately grows concerned for the Doctor and asks if he should turn back and try to find the Doctor again~

ENVIRONMENT:

~more darts come the Doctor’s way, striking his back and his leg again~

DOCTOR:

~responds that he’s near the entrance, reasoning that he should just turn around as long as the Master’s alright, turning back at what’s not just a little more than a stumble, letting the Master know he’s already got Nyx to safety and he’ll jump back in if the Master needs him~

MASTER:

~seems surprised that the Doctor’s retaliating, followed by panic as he’s suddenly attacked as well~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the exit has been blocked off by about five 3-foot-tall creatures whose features are unclear in the darkness, and they continue firing at the Doctor, landing two more darts on him~

DOCTOR:

~shoots his gun at the silhouettes, mentally telling the Master to run as he almost falls forward in exhaustion, continuing to shoot the gun in every direction a dart comes from~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the group scatters, most of them lithely avoiding the Doctor’s shots except for one who falls, stunned as was the intention of the Doctor’s weapon. The rest persist until they’ve hit the Doctor again in the neck, letting up on their attack for the moment as they expect for the Doctor to give out any second now~

DOCTOR:

~falls forward, crawling now and grunting in effort as he shoots until the clip is empty, throwing the gun afterwards and putting up a desperate fight for consciousness. Takes out his knife as he slowly nears the opening to fight the creatures despite it all~ Nyx! If I don’t climb back up there before the Master, tell him I’m still fighting and-… ~trails off, the knife leaving his grip as he collapses and blacks out~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when the Doctor wakes up he feels incredibly sore, probably as an aftereffect of the injections; though all the darts have been taken out already. His surroundings gradually come into focus: a small sphere-ish room made of what seems like thinner-than-average roots strongly woven together, with an opening at one end that’s blocked by a root-barred door. Three humanoid creatures with full-body protective suits are present in the room, the face of their helmets intimidating~

MASTER:

~is a panicked and exceedingly worried presence in the Doctor’s mind~

DOCTOR:

~reaches out to the Master mentally, telling him he’s alright and asking about the other Timelord’s situation, grimacing at the pain~ you know, if you had asked, I might have willingly stepped into this cell.

MASTER:

~seems relieved, informing the Doctor that he managed to fend off the attack and get to where the Doctor had been, though he arrived too late~

CREATURE:

~one of the creatures steps forward and makes a few chattering noises, which sound a lot like the Drynn’s language but with a sort of accent~

DOCTOR:

I can’t understand you; you know that. ~sits up, looking at the guards~ I would try to persuade you if you could understand a word I’m saying. ~apologizes for the panic he probably caused with the Master and Nyx, if the Drynn had been listening, having no clue where he is currently~

MASTER:

~seems confused, since Nyx is with him and he didn’t realize the Doctor had intended for Nyx to _stay_ outside. Feeds Nyx’s link through to the Doctor~

NYX:

~apologizes before offering to give a translation of what the creatures are saying~

CREATURE:

~the one who had stepped forward takes her helmet off and is, in fact, a Drynn~

DOCTOR:

Well this _is_ a surprise… ~responds to Nyx with acceptance of the offer, adding that he has no reason to apologize. Asks the Master where they are, not knowing where he is himself but knowing if they’re potentially close by he could make himself noticeable~

NYX:

~translates what the Drynn is saying as she speaks~

DRYNN:

For the record, we apologize for the previous difficulties in getting you here… usually people are out cold with a single dose of sedative. ~she tries to get the apology across with more than words, not realizing the Doctor can understand~

MASTER:

~really doesn’t know their exact location~

DOCTOR:

~tries to get his understanding across to the female Drynn, wondering if there’s a way he could just assimilate the language from Nyx to make things easier~

NYX:

~seems unsure if the Doctor is capable of taking in such information, but ready to attempt to supply it~

DRYNN:

~she looks intrigued at the Doctor’s understanding, continuing to speak~ if you can understand me, take this helmet. ~holds her helmet just slightly out in front of her so that it doesn’t look like she’s offering it to him~

DOCTOR:

~takes the helmet from the guard, mentally seeming amused by Nyx’s concern, asking that he does supply the information—how much could one more language really be?~

NYX:

~hesitantly tries to transfer all he knows about the language to the Doctor~

DRYNN:

~steps forward to take the helmet back~ well at least we have some level of communication. My name is Dri; you?

DOCTOR:

The Doctor. ~takes in the information with a bit of effort, attempting the language after he’s absorbed Nyx’s information~ can you understand this?

DRI:

~she takes a moment to process the Doctor’s attempt, but eventually she responds~ yes, well enough. ~has trouble pronouncing the Doctor’s name properly, eventually giving up~ what are you, though? ~looks the Doctor up and down, it being obvious that he’s not Drynn~

DOCTOR:

Timelord. ~says the word alone as he knows better than to attempt putting it in a Drynn sentence, explaining with the best usage of the language he can~ I know thousands of languages; yours wasn’t one until a few seconds ago as I’m telepathically linked to my friends: a Drynn and another person like me.

DRI:

~she nods slowly, again taking a moment to respond~ one last thing: why have you and your friends come under the Root?

DOCTOR:

Pure curiosity. ~pauses, smiling confidently though his voice turns almost threatening~ and I wouldn’t do so much as touch my friends if I were you; not just because I hold a grudge, you seem like nice people.

DRI:

~nods in understanding~ I’ll inform the others. ~as she heads to the exit, leaving behind the other three guards~

NYX:

~asks the Doctor if he can manage communications on his own now~

DOCTOR:

~answers in the positive, thanking Nyx for giving him the information on the language~ so, why did you Drynn attack and kidnap me anyway? Was I trespassing? I was on my way out, and you knew that.

DRI:

~she stops before leaving to reply~ we need to find and collect anyone who falls down here, or else they won’t survive very long. In your case, it was curiosity; we’ve never seen your kind before. ~is about to open the door, glancing at the Doctor and adding~ there are a few precautions we need to take before we can let you out. ~exits after her statement, closing the door behind her~

DOCTOR:

~lets the Master know what’s going on so it’s clear he’s not currently in a hostile situation~ thanks. ~stays sitting where he is as there’s hardly anywhere else to go and moving’s a pain~

MASTER:

~asks if the Doctor’s gotten any clue as to where he is, still worried for him despite the lack of hostility according to the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~glances around himself, telling the Master that he’s probably pretty far down as the roots are rather thin by comparison to those near the surface, adding that it sounds like there’s another threat other than the Drynn under the Root, asking the Master to be careful~

MASTER:

~as the Doctor makes his request the Master seems to have gotten scratched on something, responding grudgingly that he’ll keep that in mind. Asks if maybe the Doctor could get whoever captured him to go looking for them, which would be extremely helpful~

DOCTOR:

~responds with a sort of exasperated “you mean you two went to find me and got lost? This right here is why I tell companions ‘don’t run off’. Yes, I’ll have them send out a search party.”~

MASTER:

~retorts indignantly “we’re not _lost._ How else do you expect us to find you? Ungrateful whelp.”~

NYX:

~tries to politely cut in and thank the Doctor for his help~

DOCTOR:

~apologizes, adding that they might escort him out after all this is done but he’ll try to get the Drynn to look for them anyway~

DRYNN:

~after a few moments another Drynn enters the room, unarmored, and walks up to the Doctor a little nervously, although he seems curious~ pardon me… ~speaks in a quiet voice, getting closer to the Doctor and feeling all around him, in his pockets, between his clothes, in his hair; gets particularly fascinated with the Doctor’s collar for some reason~

DOCTOR:

Wh—hey! ~speaks in English at first as he wasn’t expecting this, speaking in the Drynn language after a second, calmer now~ what are you doing?

DRYNN:

~reaches up and turns the Doctor’s collar until the leash reveals itself, not responding at first~ precautionary measures; my apologies. ~pulls at the leash experimentally before peeking through the Doctor’s pockets again, finding his sonic~

DOCTOR:

It’s fine. I promise you nothing I have on me is lethal; that’s a tool used to build things. ~easily allows the Drynn to do his search~ the only “weapon” I usually carry is the knife that I dropped when I passed out.

DRYNN:

What’s this? ~puts the screwdriver on the ground and grabs hold of the loop in the Doctor’s leash, stepping away from the Doctor until the leash goes more than taut, trying to figure out its purpose~

DOCTOR:

~stays where he is as he’s a bit too used to pressure on his neck, though he does grow uncomfortable~ It’s a leash; it—uh—technically is meant to lead a pet… please stop pulling on it.

DRYNN:

~lets go of the leash, looking thoughtful~ a strictly ranked society, then… does the other one have a ‘leash’? ~goes over to the sonic, picking it up and inspecting it before handing it to one of the guards~

MASTER:

~is listening in and is telepathically laughing hysterically at this~

DOCTOR:

~looks down, bringing a hand to the bridge of his nose in embarrassed frustration~ no… He doesn’t. ~mentally tells the Master to shut up~ and I assure you I’m of a sufficient ‘rank’.

MASTER:

~replies “not a chance”~

DRYNN:

~tilts his head slightly to the side~ but you said it was for leading pets. ~comes forward, continuing to look the Doctor over~ if not, you should be able to remove it without consequence; am I right? Don’t worry, we’d gladly accommodate for any social differences your race has; there’s no need for you to deny anything.

DOCTOR:

~sighs, biting his lip to stop himself from arguing, deciding it’s better to let the Drynn think he’s of low rank than to try to explain the actual reason why he doesn’t take it off—as he could remove the _leash_ whenever he wanted~

MASTER:

~smugly praises the Doctor with a degrading “good boy”, finding the Doctor’s giving up to be exceedingly amusing. He more seriously asks if the Doctor’s got that search party going yet~

DRYNN:

~backs off from the Doctor and goes over to the guards to get the sonic~

DOCTOR:

~responds that he’ll do that now~ um, speaking of the other Timelord, I’m afraid he and the Drynn he was with may have gotten lost; I’ll tell him telepathically not to attack if someone could go look for them?

DRYNN:

~nods~ right away. ~walks towards the exit without returning the Doctor’s sonic~

GUARDS:

~follow him out since they’ve proven the Doctor to be unarmed, closing the door behind them~

DOCTOR:

~telepathically speaks to the Master, saying “got it; don’t shoot unless they attack, please. Oh, and I hate you.”~

MASTER:

~affectionately responds “no you don’t.” Leaving the argument there, informing the Doctor that him and Nyx will head down a bit to try to get closer to the Doctor’s predicted location~

DOCTOR:

~acknowledges the statement, smiling a little and going to check if the door’s locked as he’s made that mistake before~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door budges but doesn’t give, and one guard still stands outside the gate who turns his head slightly to look at the Doctor, his expression unclear because of his helmet~

DOCTOR:

~shrugs, stepping back and sitting down to wait for whatever happens next~ you know, you’re a really hospitable race when you’re not shooting at people with sedatives.

GUARD:

~the Drynn turns slightly to speak to the Doctor more directly~ we do our best with what we can. We couldn’t have just let you go back up to the surface, could we?

DOCTOR:

You were probable capable, yeah. ~the question makes him a bit wary and he narrows his eyes at the guard~

GUARD:

Is there something wrong? ~doesn’t seem to think his statement was at all threatening~

DOCTOR:

I just don’t see why it’s so absolutely necessary for you guys to keep me from my home when I was already leaving yours.

GUARD:

It’s dangerous up there. What sort of race tosses their children down under the ground to fend for themselves? ~gets some sort of notification on a comm system, pausing his conversation with the Doctor for the moment~

DOCTOR:

~laughs at what seems to be the biggest misunderstanding in history~ so this whole this is just a horrible lack of communication!

GUARD:

~looks over at the Doctor, his voice implying confusion~ no; the communications are running fine… ~he speaks to someone else about his current assignment in quiet tones, obviously too preoccupied to keep talking to the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

Those who dwell on the surface sometimes fall through. They see monsters kidnapping their children, you see monsters abandoning their children. ~knows the guard’s probably not listening, speaking anyway~

GUARD:

~a few moments after the Doctor finishes the guard looks back at him~ your friends have been picked up. They’ll be here soon.

DOCTOR:

Thank you, means a lot. ~leans back in his cell, wondering why the Master didn’t tell him telepathically, shrugging it off after a moment~

DRI:

~after a minute or so Dri comes back up to the door, clicking to the Doctor to get his attention~ just a couple more things before we let you out. ~she opens the door and steps in, holding something about the size of a Drynn-sized soccer ball as she walks up to the Doctor~ your friend is Timelord too, correct?

DOCTOR:

~looks over at Dri, easily answering her question~ the one that isn’t Drynn, yeah. Also, I’ve been talking to some of the Drynn down here and I think I see a misunderstanding between the surface and under the Root, though feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.

DRI:

Alright; what is it? ~she offers the thing in her hands—what looks like an acorn or seed of some sort—to the Doctor~ here, take this.

DOCTOR:

~takes the seed~ it seems as if you believe that those on the surface are careless with their children and that’s why they end up here. Well I obviously have been to the surface and what happens is on rare occasion someone falls out of a tree because they live up in trees. The only reason they don’t race down to help whoever has fallen is they hold the belief that there are deadly monsters under the root taking whoever comes down. I haven’t seen anyone down here other than you guys.

DRI:

There are other creatures down here; of course. ~thoughtfully pauses as she looks for mistakes in the Doctor’s explanation~ but how could something like this be true after we’ve taken in more than fifteen younglings and none of them have thought to tell us we were seeing it wrong?

DOCTOR:

I can’t be entirely sure, my knowledge of the Drynn is frankly rather limited. Though if Drynn younglings are similar to other children they probably would be scared enough to instantly believe whatever you told them as to what’s going on. Almost every Drynn on the surface is too scared to touch the ground.

DRI:

~she shakes her head slightly~ if you want to make that argument, go ahead. But even if it is all a misunderstanding, what would the Drynn on the surface think if we came up? There’d be a panic, surely. Perhaps a fight. ~the Drynn language doesn’t seem to have a word for ‘war’~

NYX:

~is still listening in and provides enough of an understanding that Dri’s point is made~

DOCTOR:

What if the Master, Nyx, and I talked to them? The last thing I want to do is start a fight, believe me, but I also don’t want to leave this planet knowing that there are at least fifteen tree-dwelling Drynn that all think their children are dead.

DRI:

~freezes and looks up at the Doctor, seeming unable to find words for a moment~ Nyx…? ~suddenly turns and runs out of the cell, leaving the guard to call after her in bewilderment~

DOCTOR:

~asks Nyx telepathically if he knows Dri, jogging up to the doorway to stare after her in equal confusion, turning to the guard~ mind if I try to figure out what that was about?

NYX:

~seems confused as well, saying he doesn’t know anyone with that name~

GUARD:

~looks up at the Doctor, sounding unsure~ she left, so I guess you’re allowed out…

ENVIRONMENT:

~outside of the room is a walkway reinforced with other roots to make it less precarious, that connects to a few other rooms like the first~

DRI:

~disappears into a much larger dome made of woven roots at the end of the walkway~

DOCTOR:

Thank you. ~runs after Dri, wondering what the heck is going on but keeping himself focused enough to not fall off the walkway~

ENVIRONMENT:

~there’s an opening in the dome that shows some of what’s inside—it looks like a town or a community of Drynn milling about between houses~

DRI:

~weaves through the crowd to continue heading in the same direction~

DOCTOR:

~continues to chase after Dri, muttering apologies as he rushes through the crowd, asking Nyx if he was named after anyone~

NYX:

~he only gets more confused, replying that he wasn’t as far as he knows and asking the Doctor to explain what’s going on~

MASTER:

~makes a side comment that they’ve just arrived~

DOCTOR:

~replies that he just said Nyx’s name in conversation and a female guard named Dri whom he was talking to took off running after just saying “Nyx…?”, adding that he’s unsure whether Dri’s response was positive or negative~

NYX:

~is a little frightened, obviously not knowing Dri~

DRI:

~at the moment is ducking through to another large dome, having broken free of the initial crowd~

ENVIRONMENT:

~inside the other dome doesn’t look as much like a living space as the previous one~

DOCTOR:

Dri! What in the world is going on!? ~gets through the crowd, starting to tire of running after Dri but continuing anyway, reassuring Nyx that the Master and him won’t let Dri hurt Nyx~

DRI:

~doesn’t stop to look back at the Doctor as she runs up to a large door at the end of the room where the Master and Nyx are being led in by a small group of other Drynn. Dri slows to a stop in front of them~

MASTER:

~gives her a hostile look as she comes up to Nyx~

DRI:

~looks Nyx over, seeming extremely happy~

DOCTOR:

~is rather perplexed by the reunion, slowing to a walk once he nears them, reasoning that perhaps Dri is Nyx’s mother or older relative as that seems to be the only theory that makes sense, speaking English~ hey guys.

MASTER:

~steps around the Drynn and over to the Doctor~ hello again. ~watches Dri and Nyx~

DRI:

~speaks to a very confused Nyx and hugs him, saying “I thought I’d never see you again”~

DOCTOR:

~gives the Master a little smile before his attention turns to Dri and Nyx, speaking softly in their language~ Dri… I don’t think Nyx remembers you.

DRI:

~looks over at the Doctor sadly~ I know… he was to young to remember. ~continuing to hug Nyx~

DOCTOR:

~nods in understanding~ so you’re Nyx and Rhoe’s mother then…? ~looks thoughtful, remembering his technically genetic daughter Jenny~

DRI:

~hesitantly lets go of Nyx, shaking her head~ just Nyx. Have you got a sister, then? ~asking Nyx happily~

NYX:

~he answers slowly, taking this all in~ yes… two brothers as well. They’re all much older than me.

MASTER:

~teases the Doctor about wanting another child~

DOCTOR:

~nods slightly, recognizing the difference in culture and instantly respecting it, smiling at the reunion, responding to the Master with the fact that every child he ever had is dead, including Jenny, so it’s less like he wants another and more like he wants one to be alive~

MASTER:

~reminds the Doctor that there’s always time for a new start, now that time is easily traversable for them. Leans closer to the Doctor and takes his hand, sighing lightly~

DOCTOR:

~thinks through the Master’s statement and what it seems to be implying, having not really considered a remotely domestic lifestyle since Rose. The idea seems absolutely foreign in his mind like some impossible, misplaced fiction~ I guess we can go back up now…?

MASTER:

Not sure. ~lets his hand slip out of the Doctor’s, going to try to head back~

GUARDS:

~quickly block the way, one asking politely~ aren’t you going to stay a while?

DOCTOR:

~walks up to them after the guards block the Master off, speaking in Drynn~ I don’t tend to enjoy staying somewhere where I was treated as a prisoner, no matter how kindly welcomed to my cell after getting shot repetitively with sedatives.

MASTER:

~chuckles at how ridiculous the Doctor sounds speaking in Drynn~

GUARD:

~continues~ we’re all trying to protect you.

DOCTOR:

Yeah, from the surface-dwellers and whatever other false legends you have engrained in your head. I’ve heard it all. We’ll be careful.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the guards hesitate and in that moment another Drynn comes up behind the Doctor and nudges him; he looks up at the Doctor and offers his sonic back~

DOCTOR:

Ah, thank you. ~takes the sonic, putting it in his suit pocket, smiling at the Drynn who returned it before turning back to the guards~ one less reason to hang around.

GUARDS:

~eventually the guards do step aside~ alright, if you truly with to leave. Shall we escort you to the surface, then?

DOCTOR:

Thank you. ~thinking through everything, reasoning that Dri will take care of Nyx and all they have to do when they get to the surface is reassure everyone that Nyx is alive, reasoning they should say farewell at least to the younger Drynn, turning to where him and his mother were a moment ago~

NYX:

~telepathically says goodbye to the Doctor, seeming happy with his situation now that he understands what’s going on~

DRI:

~looks up and speaks~ I’ll take him back to the surface; don’t worry. Hopefully then we’ll be able to fix that communication problem of ours.

DOCTOR:

~nods, smiling and turning back to the guards~ alright; I’m sure an escort would be of help, yes? ~looks to the Master for his say on the decision, part of his mind still trying to comprehend the idea of himself with a more domestic life~

MASTER:

~rolls his eyes slightly at the Doctor’s thoughts, although he’s smiling slightly~

GUARDS:

~they nod and start heading back out of the front door, and onto a confusing pathway of roots, expecting for the Timelords to follow closely~

DOCTOR:

~easily follows the escort, mentally asking the Master if he really actually wants to “settle down” so to speak, thinking the change might be nice though every other time he thought of a calmer lifestyle it was a last resort~

MASTER:

~chuckles softly and replies that it’s a nice thought, but he doubts the Doctor would be able to conform to it, let alone enjoy it~

DOCTOR:

~shrugs slightly, responding with “I’d be willing to try, but you’re probably right.”~

MASTER:

~reasons that starting such a lifestyle might end up having to be permanent—or would at least add certain responsibility—depending on how far they’d go with it. Suggests half-jokingly to the Doctor that he’d be willing to overthrow a lesser planet and perhaps ‘settle’ there~

DOCTOR:

~laughs a little uneasily, knowing the Master would happily fulfill the offer should the Doctor accept it. Something about the offer seems somewhat appealing but he quickly dismisses the notion~

MASTER:

~glances over at the Doctor as they walk along behind the guards, giving a smug smile and pointing out that the Doctor hasn’t exactly given a clear yes or no answer~

DOCTOR:

Of course we’re not overthrowing anyone. ~doesn’t seem as certain and insistent as he sounds, trying not to think through what that would be like~

MASTER:

Oh, come on. Not even a level four? ~nudges the Doctor hopefully, subtly helping along the Doctor’s thoughts~

DOCTOR:

~bites his lip, finding it difficult to go against this idea that he would never consider under other circumstances~ no, Master.

MASTER:

~sighs in disappointment~ alright, suit yourself.

ENVIRONMENT:

~they’ve come to an area that feels more familiar, small spots of light coming from above~

DOCTOR:

~somewhat mirrors the Master’s disappointment, his age-old morals clashing with a mixture of dark whim and conditioned response to the Master in his mind~

GUARDS:

~their Drynn escorts move out of the way, revealing the opening that the Timelords had entered through initially, one of them speaking~ here you are.

DOCTOR:

~speaks in Drynn~ thank you. ~walks up to the opening, taking a moment to climb out and step aside for the Master~

MASTER:

~climbs up after the Doctor, looking back as the Drynn quickly disappear back into the forest of roots~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the bright sunlight takes a moment to get readjusted to~

DOCTOR:

Should we say goodbye or just leave? I find it looks cool when you just leave, but humans tend to get upset with you for it.

MASTER:

Let’s go. Do we intend to come back? ~asks it like it’s a rhetorical question, starting to walk over towards the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

No. ~follows the Master easily, meandering a bit in his step as they walk to the TARDIS~ they were almost too innocently kind.

MASTER:

~shrugs slightly~ if what’s been said about the planet is true, such traits are to be expected. ~steps into the TARDIS~

TARDIS:

~she still seems distressed~

DOCTOR:

~mentally comforts the TARDIS, closing the doors behind them when he walks in and striding to the console, called to attention by the TARDIS’ distress~ it’s okay, girl, we’re leaving now. ~sets the coordinates to a random part of space that he knows there’s no planet on~

ENVIRONMENT:

~among the sticky notes on the monitor a new one has been placed, with earth coordinates written on it in the Master’s handwriting; they translate to Upper Michigan, America, somewhere under the ground. There’s another word on the note, reading “safe”, with a small X underneath it all~

DOCTOR:

~takes the sticky note off, inspecting it before putting it back and telepathically asking the Master what the note’s for, pulling the takeoff lever and flying the TARDIS~

MASTER:

What? What note? ~walks over to the monitor to try to look at it, legitimately not knowing what the Doctor’s talking about~

DOCTOR:

~his eyes widen slightly~ there wasn’t a sticky note there before… so if you don’t know about it, you couldn’t have-… damnit. ~aggressively flips the last switch before they land, looking at the console and seeming angered though mentally it’s clearly more of a desperate denial~

MASTER:

~glances over the note briefly~ Doctor, what is it? ~goes over to him to try to comfort the other Timelord, clearly worried and confused about what he doesn’t understand~

DOCTOR:

It’s- ~sighs, calming himself down a little, sounding defeated when he speaks again~ it’s nothing, just forget about it…

MASTER:

~knows the Doctor’s not telling the truth, but decides not to bring it up verbally. Gives the Doctor a little hug instead, murmuring softly~ we can get through anything, remember?

DOCTOR:

~smiles faintly, his voice wavering slightly as he speaks~ I did say that… didn’t I? ~sighs~ I’m not giving up, Master, I just find it hard to believe that we can stop this one.

MASTER:

Me leaving a note with coordinates? ~still hugging the Doctor, leans into him slightly and seems glad that he made the Doctor smile~

DOCTOR:

No… future you travelling in Tav, seemingly without me or the TARDIS anywhere nearby. The fact that you went through the trouble of cloaking her as well, like you don’t want to be found… the fact that you can’t change the future once you know it.

MASTER:

~lowers his gaze, his grip loosening slightly~ oh… so it was me in Tav, then. ~shakes his head~ where are the coordinates to, anyway?

DOCTOR:

Underground in Upper Michigan… America. The note also said “safe”, maybe you’re trying to help us. Though I don’t know what the X means ~smiles a bit more genuinely~ unless you’re using a typical Earth abbreviation.

MASTER:

~smiles up at the Doctor, unwrapping his hands from the other Timelord’s waist to bring them up around the Doctor’s neck~ I’d hoped I’d never have to use an abbreviation. ~pulls him into a gentle kiss~

DOCTOR:

~kisses the Master back, the gesture almost moving him to tears as he’s pretty sure by now that he’s not with the future Master. Breaks the kiss after a moment to speak softly~ should we go to the coordinates?


	20. Looms

MASTER:

~gives a small nod, letting go of the Doctor and stepping back~ we must go to them eventually, otherwise there'd be no reason for me to leave the note.

DOCTOR:

Either that or you're trying to prevent something from happening; either way, it's probably best. ~walks around the console to put the coordinates from the sticky note into the TARDIS~

MASTER:

So, what's underground in Upper Michigan? ~asks as he watches the Doctor put in the coordinates, walking over to his side and holding onto the rim of the console~

DOCTOR:

Somewhere safe? ~shakes his head~ no clue. ~pulls the lever and flies the TARDIS, trying to think of what might have happened—or is going to happen, technically~

TARDIS:

~goes into flight and when she lands becomes distressed at first, her distress turning to fascination and relief after a few seconds~

DOCTOR:

What is it? ~is clearly asking the TARDIS, wondering where the Master has directed/will direct them~

TARDIS:

~clearly makes it known that they've landed in Aperture, adding shortly after with a sort of confusion that she's detected no life signs in a 5 mile radius (which more than covers the entirety of Aperture) apart from a few signals from Eaden~

DOCTOR:

That... doesn't make sense, though... did She evacuate them to the other planet or something? But She would still be here. ~walks up to the TARDIS door, hesitating a little to open it but doing so~

TARDIS:

~also mentions that she's pretty sure Tav was just here, too, having dematerialized when the TARDIS was in the process of landing~

ENVIRONMENT:

~outside the door is a spacious room, lined with devices that take a moment to recognize as being extremely similar to the traditional Gallifreyan looms~

MASTER:

...Aperture? ~asks nervously, coming up behind the Doctor and keeping his distance~

DOCTOR:

Yes... ~seems extraordinarily confused~ but no one's here. Well, you were just here, but no one's in Aperture laboratories. Not even Her. And why are these here? ~gestures to the 'looms'~

MASTER:

I don't know... ~tries to think back to why he might want to direct himself and the Doctor to a place with looms, taking a moment but eventually bringing up their recent conversation about considering a child, knowing that all the looms from Gallifrey are gone and—considering their situation—looming would be the only way to create another pure Timelord~

DOCTOR:

Well, then... what now? ~feels as if they shouldn't commit to a child just because that seems like it's what happens next, looking over at the Master as it's clear that they have a bit to think over~

MASTER:

~thinks it over, considering the Doctor's feelings on the situation~ well, now that we know the coordinates and the time at which everyone's left, we could just come back if you don't want to decide on anything just yet. ~gently wraps his arms around the Doctor from behind, resting his head on the Doctor's back and finding that he does seem awfully fond of the thought of having three Timelords in existence, instead of just two~

DOCTOR:

~thinks through what will have to change and what will be needed for a child, wondering if the problem he's been so distraught by is actually just the Master running errands to keep time straight—or at least hoping it is, smiling at the current Master's actions~

MASTER:

~likes the Doctor's reevaluation, figuring that it's equally likely to be what's actually happening in their future. Smiles slightly, bringing his arms further around the Doctor~ well? ~figures that since his future-self left the note, he did want them to go about this as indicated~

DOCTOR:

Eh... ~thinks it over one last time before answering~ you know what? Why wait. We both want a kid, we're here, and there's clearly no regrets in the future... ~smiles as well, looking at the looms~

MASTER:

~grins widely, tightening his grip around the Doctor briefly before letting go, his excitement obvious~ after you.

DOCTOR:

~strides to one of the looms, growing increasingly excited as well, knowing there are several decisions to make: what gender, what age, etc~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor out, seeming a little wary under his excitement due to the fact that they're in Aperture. Walks up to the familiar device beside the Doctor, it suddenly occurring to him that he's never had children before~

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the Master's realization, assuring the other Timelord that he does, in fact, remember how to work a loom, thinking back to his daughter—his "real daughter", as he had described her when neglecting Jenny~

MASTER:

~asks if the process is similar to the way it worked with creating Jenny, not knowing the details of working the loom. Finds himself subconsciously speculating on a daughter, since the Doctor is thinking about his~

DOCTOR:

~responds in the negative, explaining that Jenny was a genetic copy of himself and initially not even wanted by him despite the fact that he was, technically, her biological family~

MASTER:

~seems to be getting a little impatient, peering over the Doctor's shoulder~ alright; get on with it, then.

DOCTOR:

~starts inputting something into the loom, re-asking his questions from before as it's not like he can ask the thing to weave together a Timelord at random~

MASTER:

~he prefers a daughter, but is open for suggestion when it comes to the age; he seems more concerned about a proper name than anything else. Asks the Doctor if the loom needs genetic imprints from them~

DOCTOR:

~nods, stating that he was taking care of the basic information first. Gestures to what looks like a hole in the top of the machine~ it doesn't need more than a hair; it knows the species and the information we put into it. ~thinks it might be good to make the physical age between five and ten as it would make it so that she's capable of walking and eating and such but it's visibly clear she's only a child~

MASTER:

~nods in acknowledgement, accepting the Doctor's decision on age, at least remembering that loom-born Timelords will still need to accumulate knowledge on their own, despite the physical age they're loomed in~ we need to decide on a name.

DOCTOR:

Yeah. ~mentally starts listing names fitting for a Gallifreyan child: Phaedra, Aglaia, Komodia... Clearly is just doing this off of his head and open to suggestions~

MASTER:

~makes one other suggestion, Alia, just to contribute something to the list of names; seems to be leaning toward Phaedra and maybe Aglaia, and of course his own suggestion~

DOCTOR:

~likes Alia and Phaedra from the Master's selections, leaning towards Alia~ we also need to decide who's last name she gets as Sigma-Oakdown or Oakdown-Sigma is a bit obnoxious.

MASTER:

~smiles and chuckles~ agreed. ~figuring that Alia's been agreed upon at this point, mentally visualizes either Alia Sigma or Alia Oakdown, not exactly sure which sounds better~

DOCTOR:

~finds it difficult to choose as well, truly not holding a preference even after a large amount of thought and counting pros and cons~

MASTER:

~interrupts the Doctor's pro-and-conning with a small shrug~ let's just go with Sigma. It's shorter. ~mentally asks the Doctor what's next, seeming eager~

DOCTOR:

~takes a hair from his head, putting it into the hole mentioned earlier and tapping something into the small keypad after the Master has put his own in, looking over at the larger button next to the keypad then at the Master, grinning happily~ would you like to do the honors?

MASTER:

~grins back at the Doctor~ absolutely. ~steps over so that he's more in front of the keypad, leaning into the Doctor affectionately as he presses the button and activates the loom~

DOCTOR:

~happily watches the machine as it whirs in the creation of a Timelord. Knows it'll take a few minutes, realizing they have nothing out for the child who is doubtlessly going to be cold initially~ I've kept things in the TARDIS out of nostalgia, I should probably run and get something.

MASTER:

~nudges the Doctor as he speaks~ right, yes; go then. I'll stay here.

DOCTOR:

Alright. ~runs off into the TARDIS, returning after a few minutes with what looks like a small and rather soft red blanket~

MASTER:

~glances back at the Doctor when he returns, the looming process being almost complete~ so who did that belong to? ~talking about the blanket~

DOCTOR:

Honestly? Me. Again, I can be horribly nostalgic, but I suppose it came of use. ~walks up to the Master's side~

MASTER:

~chuckles, a bit surprised that the Doctor's kept that for so long~ nostalgic indeed. ~looks up as the loom finishes~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the figure inside seems to be about 9, with features similar to Heather's—almost like they could be sisters~

ALIA:

~doesn't stand right away, after a moment or so beginning to cry in distress~

DOCTOR:

~walks over to the side of the loom to open it after it's done, carefully and gently scooping Alia up into his arms, simultaneously wrapping her in the blanket as she takes her out of the loom and stands, smiling at her then the Master, speaking softly~ hey Kosh, you're a father.

MASTER:

~comes to the Doctor's side, smiling happily with uncontrollable excitement as he looks down at Alia~

ALIA:

~cries for a bit until she notices she's in the Doctor's arms, calming down and looking up at the Doctor and the Master in awe~

DOCTOR:

Hello there, Alia... welcome to the universe. ~mentally asks the Master if they should head into the TARDIS now as there are a few additional things they need for Alia, such as clothing. Not to mention he doesn't really want to spend any more time than necessary in Aperture~

MASTER:

~quickly agrees with the Doctor on going back to the TARDIS~ want me to hold her? Since you seem to know what we need.

DOCTOR:

Yeah; here. ~extends his arms a bit to lower Alia into the Master's arms before they walk back into the TARDIS, knowing she could probably tell what was happening but telling the TARDIS anyway out of ecstatic excitement~

MASTER:

~holds Alia close, following the Doctor into the TARDIS and closing the door with his foot, smiling as he watches Alia play with her own fingers~

TARDIS:

~matches the Doctor's eagerness, exceedingly happy for him and the Master~

DOCTOR:

~puts coordinates in for England, taking the break off and turning on the stabilizers for Alia~ luckily, it's easy for me to get money on Earth: an ATM isn't advanced enough to resist the sonic screwdriver. ~upon saying this he chuckles as all he can think is "oh, you public menace!", taking off~

MASTER:

~shakes his head slightly at the Doctor's thought as if to dislodge it, going over to the bench to sit down, propping Alia up so that she's sitting on his lap~ wait, why do we need an ATM?

ALIA:

~looks around from the new angle in wonder~

DOCTOR:

Because, the only way you get anything on Earth is by having money. I don't have clothing that would fit her, I didn't keep _everything._ ~runs about, flying the TARDIS as he speaks~

ALIA:

~giggles, exactly why being unclear~

MASTER:

~smiles at her briefly before continuing to talk to the Doctor~ well, have fun clothes shopping. ~from the Master's thoughts it's clear he doesn't intend to come along~

DOCTOR:

~nods after he lands~ I'll be back soon. ~flips a couple switches on the TARDIS, strengthening the shields and making sure the perception filter is fully functional before going to exit the TARDIS~

MASTER:

Alright. ~rolls his eyes slightly at the Doctor's extra precautions, not actually minding it as he brings his arms around Alia, focusing on attempting to communicate telepathically with her~

DOCTOR:

~exits the TARDIS, closing and locking the door behind him to go to the nearest clothing store for Alia~

MASTER:

~sees no need to leave the console room, managing to establish simple communication with Alia, which he uses to tell her what her name is and the fact that the Doctor and himself are her parents~

~•~

ENVIRONMENT:

~when the Doctor approaches the TARDIS again, the ship seems vaguely concerned about something; though the Master is as hopelessly doting as ever~

DOCTOR:

What is it, girl? ~unlocks and opens the doors when he reaches them, closing them behind him as he walks in, getting worried by the TARDIS' concern, carrying a plastic bag with clothing in it on his arm~

TARDIS:

~seems to wave off her concern, dismissing it as projecting off of the Doctor's precautions~

ALIA:

~is making small unintelligible noises at the Master, attempting at words~

MASTER:

~mentally greets the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the two, walking over with the clothing and setting the bag next to the bench~ I take it nothing eventful happened while I was out?

MASTER:

Not really. ~smiles up at the Doctor, then at Alia~ she knows her name now, though. ~speculates on what Alia should call them when she figures out how to form words, knowing that they'll have to start addressing each other as such in order to get the point across to Alia~

DOCTOR:

That's great! ~doesn't know whether Alia should call them dad or just by their names~ though do remind me next time I go out that I'm wearing this. ~lifts his leash slightly to gesture to it, chuckling good-humoredly~

MASTER:

What, did you get noticed? ~chuckles too, glancing over at the bag of clothes; suggests that maybe one of them could be Dad and the other could be Father, to avoid confusion~

DOCTOR:

No one said anything, I just got weird looks and didn't realize why until the cashier was staring at it. He'd probably be less taking aback were I not purchasing children's clothing. ~mentally replies that that would work, asking who's "father"~

MASTER:

~laughs at the Doctor's explanation, seeming to like father better because it sounds like a more highly regarded authority figure; as always, being the egotist~ so, what'd you get?

DOCTOR:

~takes out a light blue T-shirt that has a pink bear on the front, black sweatpants, a soft-looking blue hooded jacket, and sneakers, draping all but the sneakers over the railing. Is amused by the Master's thoughts, stating that he's rather be Dad anyway~

MASTER:

~figured as much; looks over the clothes and eventually comments jokingly~ serves me right for not going with you. ~knows that it wouldn't have been suitable to carry Alia around in just a blanket anyway; takes the sweatpants off of the railing to help Alia into them first, to at least get her somewhat decent enough to remove the blanket~

DOCTOR:

It's not like there's much to choose from in a human store in her size that isn't neon pink or straight up black. ~picks up the shirt off the railing to help dress Alia~

MASTER:

~sets the blanket on the bench beside him, after which Alia starts to get fussy to the point where the Master has to gently restrain her just to help the Doctor get the rest of her clothes on; the socks and shoes prove to be a problem as Alia has a rather strong kick~

DOCTOR:

~calmly begins to hum the first tune that comes to mind, trying to calm Alia or at least distract her enough to get socks and shoes on her feet~

ALIA:

~is easily intrigued by the Doctor's humming, still fussing but not nearly as much~

MASTER:

~helps by reaching around Alia to carefully hold her ankles still; eventually managing to get her socks and shoes on through the joint effort~

DOCTOR:

Ah, there we go. ~stands—as he had been sitting on his knees to get Alia's shoes on~ what now?

TARDIS:

~almost exactly when the Doctor finishes asking the question the TARDIS' worry spikes along with surprise, finding that they've been teleported somewhere else~

ENVIRONMENT:

~shortly after there's a hard knock at the front door and a slightly muffled "open up!" from outside~

MASTER:

~sits Alia down on the bench next to him, his hand in his pocket, ready to withdraw his laser~

DOCTOR:

~starts toward the door, mentally telling the Master to stay where he is as there are still people on this planet who know what he did and are less forgiving than himself and Jack, opening the door just enough to quickly step out and close the door behind him, leaning back on the TARDIS in such a way that he's making it impossible to open the doors without pushing him aside~ yes?

MASTER:

~isn't happy at all with staying behind, but he doesn't try to go out after the Doctor~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the TARDIS has been transported to UNIT headquarters, and a group of security personnel are standing outside the TARIDS. Kate Stewart, the head of UNIT and an acquaintance of the Doctor, pushes between them to speak to the Doctor~

KATE:

Hello, Doctor. Sorry we moved you without warning, but this is important.

DOCTOR:

Of course it is, it always is, isn't it? ~is immediately alert, knowing UNIT makes it their business to "neutralize alien threats" which doubtlessly makes "neutralizing" the Master a goal~ look, this is _really_ a bad time, uh...

KATE:

~she shakes her head~ anything else will have to wait. There's worldwide invasion about to-... ~suddenly notices the Doctor's collar and leash~

DOCTOR:

Good god, take your eyes off the accessory and give me the details. ~manages to seem exasperated though he's mainly afraid for the other two Timelords that wait in the TARDIS~

KATE:

~pries her focus away from the collar~ -about to happen. Three races working together. They gave us a friendly warning yesterday; the entire town of Milton Keynes was destroyed. ~glances behind the Doctor as if expecting to see something there~ who's with you, Doctor?

DOCTOR:

...I'll show you... only if everyone who can see drops their weapons. And I assure you if anyone does so much as twitch in the direction of a weapon, _I'll_ be the one to shoot. ~is calm but dead serious~ do I make myself clear?

KATE:

~looks at the Doctor in distrust of his threat, not giving any orders and therefore nobody drops a weapon just yet~ are you saying whoever is inside is a threat to us? Because then we might just confiscate the TARDIS itself. I told you before; if it's alien, it's ours.

DOCTOR:

 _He_ doesn't want to hurt you; it's _you_ and your frankly violent institution I'm afraid of. If you can't promise me whoever walks out that door is safe, I can't promise you I won't have to do something I'll regret. So, really, I'm the biggest alien threat in this room and it's up to you whether or not I become hostile.

MASTER:

~says he'll leave Alia in the TARDIS when he comes out, just until they're sure it's safe~

KATE:

~hesitates a moment longer, eventually waving to the people with weapons which is taken as a cue for them to be dropped~

DOCTOR:

~mentally acknowledges the Master's statement and tells him it's safe to come out, relaxing a little as everyone drops their weapon though his eyes briefly flick to the closest gun, ready to spring into action should it be necessary~ thank you.

MASTER:

~takes a moment longer, as he has to make sure Alia knows she needs to stay put, peering out of the front door and grinning sheepishly at the group of people~ hallo there, UNIT.

SECURITY PERSONNEL:

~a few of them make small moves towards their weapons upon seeing the Master, although no one actually touches a gun~

KATE:

~looks between the Doctor and the Master, speaking cooly and managing to look calm~ Doctor, why is the Master in your TARDIS?

DOCTOR:

Bit of a long story, if you want it whole. Basically, there was a very long, torturous event in which we were required to perform tasks as partners during which we grew fond of each other. He's changed. ~his eyes shoot to those who move toward their weapons warily~

MASTER:

~he smirks slightly, bringing up memories in detail of the couple of times they've been rather intimate with each other, emphasizing the Doctor's explanation of "fond"~

KATE:

~looks perplexed~ how so...?

DOCTOR:

~blushes visibly at the memories, attempting to act as if it didn't happen~ he's helped me save people; I've been taking him on my travels and the death toll that you know follows me has _decreased_ substantially. He's not the reason now's a bad time, though, and I do still care deeply about this planet so if you could quickly tell me who we're dealing with, that would be appreciated.

KATE:

~doesn't mention the Doctor's blushing as there are more important things at hand, answering gravely~ Daleks. We don't know the other two for sure yet.

DOCTOR:

~sighs almost angrily~ then this really is my responsibility... Master; please make sure Alia's safe, I've dealt with this and worse without a scratch—no, wait, they're Daleks, the TARDIS isn't safe...

MASTER:

I could bring Alia somewhere else... ~obviously doesn't like the thought of leaving the Doctor behind, though it seems to be the most sensible plan of action at the moment when keeping Alia safe is a priority~

KATE:

~looks between the two Timelords, asking~ who is this Alia?

MASTER:

~barely gives Kate a glance as he answers simply~ our daughter. ~leaving everyone in the room looking confounded and even a little concerned~

DOCTOR:

Yes... Mock-Gallifrey? Can't get much safer or much further from Earth, and I can always telepathically communicate with you as long as we're in the same universe at the same time. ~clearly doesn't want the Master so far away either, ignoring UNIT's response to Alia's existence~

MASTER:

~nods solemnly~ I'll get going then. ~steps outside the TARDIS to bring his arms across the Doctor's shoulders and give him a brief kiss, his hand lingering on the Doctor's chest when he pulls away, speaking softly~ try to be safe, alright? ~backs away to head to the TARDIS again~

DOCTOR:

~smiles faintly at the Master~ of course. I have a home to get back to this time; I'll be more careful than ever. ~lets the Master head back into the TARDIS without further delay as he knows the issue of the invasion is urgent, watching him until he disappears into the TARDIS~

MASTER:

~smiles back and closes the door behind him~

TARDIS:

~starts to dematerialize a few moments later with her familiar sound of takeoff~

KATE:

~gestures to the people behind her, looking numb with disbelief, and they pick up their weapons to sheath them~

DOCTOR:

Alright, I _will_ take questions as long as we get to work on this invasion. ~turns to Kate~ so, what do we know about the other two races? Anything?

KATE:

~she seems to come to her senses, answering the Doctor easily as she starts walking to her left, the security personnel dispersing~ they're either egotistic or they actually care about playing fair. And since they're working with the Daleks we suspect they've got similar goals.

DOCTOR:

Or a problem with me, considering the Daleks are Hell-bent on making the universe Daleks-only. ~follows Kate, glancing around himself as he walks~ as far as egotistic or being fair is concerned, what makes you think that?

KATE:

They gave us a warning and an audio message. We've translated it already; they were telling up the plan is basically three-strikes-you're-out. ~heads up a staircase~ and there was also something in the message about crickets. That part was a bit unclear.

DOCTOR:

Crickets? Sorry, none of this makes sense. This is the _Daleks_ we're talking about, since when is "fair play" even in their vocabulary? ~shakes his head~ Can I just hear the original recording? Then we'd at least know who we're dealing with.

KATE:

Exactly. ~gets to the top of the staircase where there's a large room of computer screens and people at desks, answering the Doctor's second question~ absolutely; I was actually hoping you could help with a better translation. Though, it seems the other two races are the ones running the show, so to speak—which I don't believe for one second.

DOCTOR:

Cannon fodder. Self-absorbed, mislead, cannon fodder. I can almost guarantee it. ~looks across the room of screens~ and I'm sure I can translate the message well enough to be more understandable.

MASTER:

~does a quick mental check with the Doctor, the connection obviously less strong than before but still functional~

KATE:

~leads the Doctor over to a specific group of computers, nodding~ cannon fodder indeed. ~asks a man sitting in front of one to find the audio file; he pulls it up and Kate hands a set of headphones to the Doctor~ here you are.

DOCTOR:

~acknowledges the Master's telepathic connection, making it clear not much is happening yet. Puts the headphones on, not knowing what to expect from the Daleks this time but knowing it can't be good~ thanks.

MESSAGE:

~relays in a language and a whimsical tone that the Doctor can understand moderately well: "Inhabitants of Earth—we have come to inform you that we will be exterminating your race and obtaining your planet. You see, you all just have to go. We'll gladly give you a sporting chance, and we hope you appreciate this warning of your impending annihilation: the three of us will be attacking specific locations on your planet in the [unclear] three days. We win if you surrender, you win if you're still standing by sundown. Krikkit [unclear] Daleks [unclear] luck in this coming war."~

DOCTOR:

Okay: I've got most of it. I'm pretty sure "Cricket" is a race, though I haven't had to deal with them before. They want your planet, and everyone currently on it dead. They said they were indeed attempting to play fair, giving you three days before they attack—at least that's what I got from it, there was a rough bit there. Apparently, you win if you live to sundown—I'm assuming on the third day. They do seem quite confident in their ability to kill you all. ~thinks that this already looks bad for the human race and like it will take longer than his usual mission~

MAN:

~the man at the desk starts typing up what the Doctor's saying in his exact words, probably for documentation~

KATE:

~looks satisfied~ thank you, it's much appreciated. ~her eyes drift back to the Doctor's 'accessory'~ I have to ask, though; why the hell are you wearing a collar?

DOCTOR:

~chuckles a little, having known he got away with that too easily~ the Master straightening up his conscience doesn't change his slightly egotistic hunger for dominance.

KATE:

~takes the headphones off of the Doctor's head, muttering "you can't keep those" under her breath and setting them back on the table~ I can't say I didn't expect it. But why don't you take it off? It's a little... degrading for someone of your stature.

DOCTOR:

~his gaze drops to the floor and he decides to sort of laugh off the situation as he can't do much else~ speaking of degrading... I can't.

KATE:

Really? ~looks at the Doctor disbelievingly~ of all things, the _Doctor_ can't undo a simple latch? ~shakes her head dismissively, knowing that they're wasting time that could be spent in preparation~ never mind the collar. There's work to be done. ~walks back out of the computer area, heading toward the staircase they came up~

DOCTOR:

Right. ~follows Kate, not outwardly ashamed, not even pushing the leash behind him as he walks~ so the message sounded like a declaration of war; maybe I could get across to the Krkkit and whatever the third race is, get them to back down and just have the Daleks left to deal with.

KATE:

~stops before heading down the stairs, decidedly changing direction and walking to the other side of the computer room where there are large radar displays on the far wall~ our scanners were having trouble picking up their location; they must be far away from Earth, then, or cloaked extremely well. It would help if we had the TARDIS here. ~sounds almost accusing~

DOCTOR:

Sorry I prioritized my family's safety. ~the statement drips with sarcasm and he sighs~ I might be able to boost your scanners with my sonic, but I'm not risking everything I have left on this planet.

KATE:

~glances downward, having trouble comprehending the fact that the Doctor actually has a biological family now after him being alone for so long~ alright. This is all just a bit new... for you too, I suppose. ~looks back up at the radar~ if you can help with finding their ships I'm sure we'll be able to get you and a few others up to one of them.

DOCTOR:

~nods, taking out his sonic to use on the radar system to boost its range and power, seeming like he's about to say something but deciding not to~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the radar looks like it's strengthened successfully, detecting a fleet of about six Dalek warships and two other considerably sized ships all in orbit around Mars. Those working in the room suddenly look up and become more productive than before~

DOCTOR:

Each Dalek warship can hold hundreds of Daleks... ~looks at the ships~ but maybe, just maybe, with the two other ships, I could get rid of them... a possible triple-genocide and more blood than I've had to spill in a long time, but for once I can't think of a peaceful way out of this. Daleks will be Daleks.

KATE:

~doesn't seem fazed by the Doctor's uncharacteristic plan~ alright. It might take longer to get you transport all the way to Mars, so bear with me. I'll go set up travel plans. ~starts walking to the right, calling back to the Doctor before she goes too far~ try to see if there's anything you can help with.

DOCTOR:

~nods, turning to the people on the various computers and walking towards them, checking in with the Master mentally~

MASTER:

~reports that he's trying to keep himself and Alia outside of the TARDIS as much as possible, just in extra precaution, and that both of them are fine~

TECHNICAL ADVISOR:

The enemy ships seem idle, sir. All of them fully functional. They've got a clear course to Earth, and could potentially attack any moment...

 


	21. Triple-Invasion

ENVIRONMENT:

~while the Technical Advisor gives her report, someone passing through the room notices the Doctor and Martha’s familiar voice reaches him~

MARTHA:

Doctor!

DOCTOR:

~stops himself from just saying “oh crap” in response to Martha, smiling and turning toward the voice as he is happy to see her~ Martha Jones! Long time no alien crisis! ~subtly offers a hug almost on instinct, knowing what she’ll probably ask~

MARTHA:

~she comes over and gladly completes the hug~ I heard you were around; with the Master, too… ~steps back as her eagerness fades a little, giving the Doctor a look of concern~ everyone’s acting a bit weird around the subject. Would you happen to know why?

DOCTOR:

~relaxes a bit upon knowing what Martha already knows, still smiling as he explains~ my best guess would be the fact that the Master’s the father of my daughter. Though they did see us kiss, which they may not have been expecting either.

MARTHA:

~looks shocked for a few moments, then bursts out laughing at how ridiculous it all sounds, having a bit of difficulty getting words out~ what’s next; you had a bloody wedding?

DOCTOR:

Well, we considered-… that was rhetorical, right? ~chuckles slightly~ guess I got used to it being old news… Alia’s the daughter’s name, if you wanted to know. She and the Master are off the planet for her safety.

MARTHA:

~looks at the Doctor almost in horror~ wait, don’t tell me you’re actually serious… ~doesn’t need for the Doctor to confirm himself again, going back to looking concerned~ you’re serious, aren’t you? …Well… that certainly explains why everyone’s acting weird.

DOCTOR:

It’s really a long story. Though, ~looks over at the sea of computers~ if I’m not needed, ~turns back to Martha~ I could give you a less shortened version than Kate got.

WOMAN:

~the person at the nearest desk speaks over her shoulder without stopping her work~ you’re not on a schedule, sir. ~confirming that the Doctor’s help is not required at the moment~

MARTHA:

~nods almost angrily, folding her arms~ you’d better have a good explanation for this.

DOCTOR:

Alright; turns out the drums aren’t a symptom of insanity, rather a separate entity which can be removed but not without having to be placed somewhere else. Me and the Master woke up in a scientific lab of sorts, immediately blaming each other. We had no clue what was going on, but we were put through simple tests but we had to work together for them. Soon, the AI who ran the place took interest in the last two Timelords and the tests became torturous. Both of us were forced to go through things I would rather not explain and the only other person we had any contact with the whole time was each other. We literally could not get out; even when we found the TARDIS, that blasted AI had her in the same metaphorical chains. Once we finally did get out, which wasn’t too long ago, the Master had sacrificed so much for me… I’d like to say I did the same for him, but, it was different to me. We had to trust each other, though, because the tests were to the point where we took turns falling apart and helping the other get put back together… to the point where by the end we didn’t _want_ to be apart.

MARTHA:

~shudders when the Doctor’s finished, no longer seeming at all angry as she speaks~ okay, I see where you’re coming from… ~pauses briefly~ how long were you two in that mess?

DOCTOR:

God… Probably, linearly, a month; though there were times when GLaDOS—the AI—used time differentials, which makes it a bit fuzzy.

MARTHA:

We should go neutralize that place… after all this business with the Daleks. ~stares downward in determined thought~

DOCTOR:

N-no! ~suddenly becomes alert~ we fixed it once help came; GLaDOS is alive but in human form, so it would be difficult for her to do much bad; the innocent test subjects are all fine; Aperture’s not an issue anymore.

MARTHA:

Alright, alright! We’ll leave it alone. ~looks at the Doctor somewhat suspiciously, but then she smiles and dismisses it as the Doctor not wanting extra casualties, as usual~

DOCTOR:

~smiles back though by now Martha’s made him realize how much he’s changed, how much less hope and belief he has in things~ so, now that that’s out of the way, how’ve you been?

MARTHA:

Great! Apart from, the, invasion of course. Mickey’s doing fine, too. ~glances down at the ring on her finger with a smile~

DOCTOR:

That’s great! I’m really happy for you guys. ~chuckles a little after a moment~ the Master and I have swung by Torchwood a couple of times, though not with Alia. You can imagine his response to me and the Master’s relationship, though. He fell out of a chair.

MARTHA:

Jack? ~laughs~ you know, he’s probably jealous. ~is keeping an eye out in case it looks like anything or anyone needs their assistance~

DOCTOR:

I’m sure he was. Maybe he still is, but he understands by now… ~tries not to think back to when the Master was “dead”, looking thoughtful before shaking his head and smiling again~

ENVIRONMENT:

~suddenly an alarm goes off, and the people working the computers start scrambling to do something; on the radar it seems that two of the Dalek ships are heading toward earth~

MARTHA:

~steps back~ I’ll see you around, Doctor. ~runs off to go help with the emergency~

DOCTOR:

~waves slightly before turning to look at the monitor, muttering to himself~ why aren’t they throwing the others onto the field first… why do they even think they _need_ the other two? Decoys? ~goes to speak over the alarms and the commotion~ do we have any weapons that can do anything to a Dalek ship?

MAN:

~the nearest person responds as he walks by~ yes, but they’ll only do damage if we can get past their shields.

KATE:

~comes back into the room, jogging over to the Doctor~ I’ve got a teleport set up and a group to go with you. Come on; there isn’t much time.

DOCTOR:

~quickly follows Kate, trying to form a plan though he knows he’s going to end up winging it~ estimated amount of time before the Daleks reach Earth?

KATE:

You’ve got about half an hour. ~leads the Doctor to the right, walking through a hallway and into another room where a group of five people are waiting along with a few spacious teleport pods~ the coordinates for one of the non-Dalek ships are in the system already.

DOCTOR:

Alright; no time to lose then. ~walks up to one of the pods, simultaneously speaking to the group~ thirty minutes and a team of six. Names?

TEAM:

~has four men and two women, all armed, who give their names in a uniform way: Ivy, Rachel, Mark, Kellan, John, and William. They all file into the pod, which is big enough to fit everyone~

DOCTOR:

I’m sure you know, but I’m the Doctor. ~steps into the pod as well to be teleported to the non-Dalek ship~

TEAM:

~a few of them nod slightly~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the pod closes up and activates, taking a few seconds to warm up before transporting the group. They reappear in the hallway of a ship a few moments later, that stretches in both directions and seems empty; until an alarm goes off and the sound of robotic footsteps comes from one end of the hallway~

DOCTOR:

~turns toward the footsteps, his hands in his pockets in a casual manner as he waits to see who they’re up against~

TEAM:

~the members of UNIT withdraw their weapons and wait in a strategic fashion~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a group of identical, metal foot-soldiers come around the corner, each holding a heavy-looking club in one hand~

DOCTOR:

Hello! Don’t you all look friendly with your clubs; almost as friendly as we do! ~his disapproval is clear but he simply continues~ well, unfortunately, we don’t have time to shoot _metal people._ We came—or at least I came—with the peaceful intention of simply speaking with your leader about your alliance with the Daleks.

SOLDIERS:

~they all but ignore the Doctor, continuing their approach, it becoming clear that the soldiers really don’t care as they start raising their clubs for striking~

TEAM:

~the UNIT group starts to take a few unsure steps back~

DOCTOR:

Well I certainly _was_ expecting some cooperation; oh well, _run!_ ~whips around, running away from the metal soldiers once those from UNIT get that they’re not fighting this fight~

TEAM:

~turns and runs after the Doctor when he tells them to, getting down to the other end of the hallway where it turns to the right, and ends in a solid-looking sliding door~

DOCTOR:

~runs down the hall, hoping the door isn’t deadlocked as it seems like the only way out of this situation, taking out his screwdriver to try to make the door start opening before it normally would—or at least make sure it’s unlocked when they reach it~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door opens easily, the footsteps of the soldiers sounding like they’ll be closing in on the Doctor and the UNIT group any moment~

DOCTOR:

~runs through the door, closing and sealing it with his sonic once all six of them are out, speaking as he does so~ everyone alright?

RACHEL:

~speaks for the group after a quick once-over~ we’re all here and intact.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door starts beeping slowly in unenthusiastic distress as the soldiers bash against it; the door takes the beating moderately well, and eventually the commotion ceases~

DOCTOR:

Okay, so, where are we…? ~scans around with his sonic, trying to determine where the ship’s control room is~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they seem to be in a storage room of some sort, without any other immediately visible exits; spare parts and other random apparatus lie around the room. The Doctor’s sonic picks up command signals from the right side of the room, but they aren’t promisingly strong, which probably means the control room isn’t too close to their current location~

DOCTOR:

Well, at least it seems like we have some time and materials—not as convenient as I hoped, but I’m sure we can do something with this. These guys seem worse at listening than Daleks, so I guess we need to be ready to fight some robots. ~starts rifling through random items in the storage area~ anyone with any specific specialty?

RACHEL:

~answers again, seeming to be like the group’s spokesperson~ we’ve got military, technology, engineering, medical, and chemistry specialists here.

DOCTOR:

Oh good! Whoever’s chemistry: what melts metal? ~seems to already be trying to assemble something, though it’s not clear what~

JOHN:

~speaks up~ well, um, it sometimes depends on the type of metal but Hydrofluoric acid is generally your best bet… it’s not melting, though, more like dissolving… if there happens to be any of it around here.

DOCTOR:

Alright; does anyone see something that looks like a white crystal thing? ~is still assembling something as he speaks, knowing they’re limited on time~

TEAM:

~disperses throughout the room, searching for anything of the sort~

RACHEL:

~passes by the Doctor while looking for it and asks~ what would it be for?

DOCTOR:

Making Hydrofluoric acid. Specifically speaking, I’m looking for ammonium fluoride to have react to whatever has the most water in it that we have—most likely blood or saliva—to make Hydrofluoric acid so we have something better than a bullet to stop these guys.

IVY:

~seems interested by the bits of scrap around the room, including the battered shell of a defunct robot-soldier. She calls to the Doctor, moving the almost-whole metal being into the open~ I could look for their weak spot using this old one; it looks and I’m assuming it works the same as the other ones. We might not have to use special chemicals.

DOCTOR:

~is about to correct Ivy on calling them “special chemicals” but dismisses it when he turns around to look at what she’s talking about~ brilliant! You do that; I’ll keep on this, just in case.

JOHN:

~after a minute or so he speaks excitedly~ I found some! ~pulls a small bag out of a compartment in the wall with white, crystal-y powder inside~

DOCTOR:

Good man! ~takes the bag, reaching in and tasting some to be sure it’s not salt or sugar or something of the sort, knowing a little chemical reaction on his tongue won’t kill him if it _is_ ammonium fluoride~

JOHN:

I wouldn’t recommend- ~looks fearful as the Doctor tastes the stuff, cutting himself off as the powder burns the Doctor’s tongue and it’s clear the warning was too late~

DOCTOR:

~spits the stuff out almost casually, it going through the metal floor when it hits it~ oh, I’m fine, my mouth will heal; there are a whole lot of white crystalline materials in this universe—more than you know of—wouldn’t want the wrong one. ~isn’t willing to admit to the fact that that burned worse than he expected, taking the ammonium fluoride to what he’s been making~

WILLIAM:

~looks at the hole in the floor, worriedly pointing out~ Doctor, we _are_ in a spaceship… in space… a hole in the floor isn’t exactly the best thing.

DOCTOR:

The reaction should stop before it breaches the hull of the ship and even then the shields aren’t made of metal. ~after a moment he turns to the group with what looks like a greenish gun of some sort, a bit larger than a pistol and clearly not metal~

KELLAN:

~who’s stayed by the door with his gun ready, glances at his watch and clearly announces~ 20 minutes.

TEAM:

~the group nods in acknowledgement~

JOHN:

~comes over to inspect the gun, commenting in admiration~ brilliant work.

MARK:

~stands up from where he was crouched beside Ivy, calling out~ from the model it looks like the best place to aim is for the head. It houses the most sensory technology and with a clean shot, they shouldn’t be able to see.

DOCTOR:

Alright then; would you like to use the chemical gun, John? You made it possible, ~is speaking as he starts towards the door~

JOHN:

Um, sure. ~takes the gun from the Doctor a bit awkwardly, following him~

TEAM:

~the rest of them get up and prepare their weapons~

DOCTOR:

~unlocks the door and opens it once everyone’s ready, finding it a bit ironic that he’s actually using army tactics for once~ alright, I trust you all to have decent aim; make it count, I’m not sure how many we’ll have to face.

TEAM:

~they all draw their weapons and wait for a few seconds; the hallway looks clear, or at least the small stretch of it that can be seen does~

JOHN:

~as they advance into the hallway John offers his original pistol to the Doctor helpfully, since the Doctor is the only one of them who’s unarmed~

DOCTOR:

~accepts the pistol, reasoning to himself that he’s probably a better shot than any of them, walking in the wary, light-footed manner you’d expect from a soldier~

JOHN:

~looks a little surprised that the Doctor accepted the gun, though he dismisses it as the group turns the corner in a defensive formation~

SOLDIERS:

~they’re met with a line of soldiers waiting silently~

TEAM:

~loud gunshots interrupt the silence as the UNIT team attacks the soldiers~

SOLDIERS:

~they fall and/or drop their clubs before any of them have the chance to hurt anyone~

DOCTOR:

~something in the Doctor is terrified by the sound, the last time he heard something like it being the last time he heard a sentry turret, not letting it show as they continue down the hall, stepping over the robot bodies that had fallen~

TEAM:

~they stay in formation, carefully turning the corner at the opposite end of the hall, and heading to the right~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they come to a crossroads; to the left the hallway ends in a hatch, straight ahead the hallway splits again, and to the right it continues to another sliding door~

TEAM:

~the group glances at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~thinks about what he got as far as power signals are concerned in the storage room, deciding that turning left is their best bet and going to open the hatch~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door opens and a quiet announcement is made in another language, translating to “opening airlock 2”~

DOCTOR:

 _That_ doesn’t sound good… ~looks out the door anyway to see what’s there, wondering if the announcement was referring to the door he just opened or if someone really wants them out of there~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the room is indeed an airlock; it has two doors, so everyone is still safely inside the ship. However, that could change if and when the second door is opened~

DOCTOR:

Let’s just continue down the hall; better safe than dead. ~turns back to go further down the hall they were in previously, taking his sonic out to be sure he’s going toward the area with the greatest power signal~

TEAM:

~follows behind the Doctor~

ENVIRONMENT:

~at the second hallway split, to the left is another airlock door and to the right is another sliding door. The signal is still coming from the right as it did in the storage room~

DOCTOR:

~turns to go through the sliding door, picking up on his mistake~ I don’t regret my decision, but this would’ve been easier with the TARDIS.

RACHEL:

Why didn’t you bring the TARDIS?

ENVIRONMENT:

~the door opens to a larger room with a grated walkway creating a passage between pipes and other mechanisms, probably the mechanical bits of the ship. The parts looks both technologically advanced and crudely wedged together or functioning in less advanced ways~

DOCTOR:

~walks down the walkway, trying not to think of its resemblance of an Aperture catwalk~ so that the Master could get our daughter to safety. ~looks at the machinery, hoping it means they’re getting close to some sort of control room~

TEAM:

~it’s obvious that the rest of the group hadn’t heard of this already by their reaction, but they remain silent and continue walking because of what’s at stake if they get sidetracked. They get through the room without trouble~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the next door that opens reveals another group of robot soldiers waiting for them~

DOCTOR:

~instantly raises his pistol, shooting directly for the robot’s heads, none of his bullets missing though his second almost does, as if he startled himself~

TEAM:

~fires until all the soldiers are either down or incapacitated, clearing a path through a rounded hallway that circles around what looks like the main part of the ship. A few of them reload their guns before continuing down the path~

DOCTOR:

Alrighty then; do we have an easy escape set up? In case this goes south, I mean. ~scans for information on the machine—mainly to see if its weaponry could destroy a Dalek warship or at least the warship’s shields~

RACHEL:

~responds as they walk~ we’ve all got teleports. They should bring us to the International Space Station, and from there we can get back to UNIT.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the ship is not as strong as the Dalek warships, but it does have a few missiles and other explosives that might be able to affect the Daleks~

DOCTOR:

Fortunately, I believe I can at least break the Dalek ships’ shields. I was told that you have a weapon that could take it from there, if worse comes to worst. Though I do wish there was some sort of easy control panel, I might be able to do it from here, considering that this seems to be the ship’s main area… Time? How long have we got?

KELLAN:

~answers~ approximately 14 minutes, sir.

ENVIRONMENT:

~they come across a door in the wall to their right, which slides open before they reach it as a brightly red-colored Dalek rolls out into the hallway, turning to see the group and exclaiming~

DALEK:

*INTRUDERS—EXTERMINATE!*

DOCTOR:

~ducks down instinctively upon hearing the Dalek~ Run! ~proceeds to try to stall the Dalek~ aw, didn’t recognize me? I’m insulted. ~uses his sonic to try to aim the ship’s weapons at the Dalek warships approaching Earth~

DALEK:

~stops briefly, probably doing a scan~ *YOU ARE THE DOCTOR. YOU WILL BE EXTERMINATED!*

TEAM:

~runs far enough back along the hallway that they can use the wall as cover while still aiming at the Dalek~

DOCTOR:

Don’t shoot, it’s a _Dalek!_ Neither bullets nor Hydrofluoric acid are going to hurt it! ~hasn’t retreated, still working on readying and aiming the ship’s missiles remotely~ ah, that’s better; at least I know you pepper shakers haven’t changed much while I was gone. Glad you didn’t take _that_ opportunity! Guess even Daleks make mistakes.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the ship’s weaponry responds to the Doctor’s sonic, readjusting to aim at the Dalek warships as instructed~

DALEK:

~adjusts its own aim, firing at the Doctor once~

DOCTOR

~narrowly dodges the shot, sending the signal for a few but not all of the weapons to fire, saving ammunition for the other three ships~

SHIP:

~shudders as the missiles are launched~

DALEK:

~looks around in confusion before focusing on the Doctor accusingly~ *WHAT ARE YOU DOING?*

DOCTOR:

~laughs at the Dalek’s confusion~ what do you _think_ I’m doing? Beating you lot. Again. ~aims the remaining weaponry at the other three ships, minus two that stay aimed at the two ships that are closest to Earth~

DALEK:

~fires at the Doctor again, its second shot missing badly and striking Rachel instead, who is at the front of the group and the easiest to hit~

RACHEL:

~falls to the ground as the sound of a distant explosion reaches the ship~

DOCTOR:

~his expression contorts to one of age-old fury and pain, shooting all but one explosive, setting this ship to detonate the bomb within it in ten minutes to doubtlessly destroy the ship, running to the group~ we have to teleport back. This ship’s history in exactly ten minutes. We’ve done what we can from here.

DALEK:

~spins around in panic as an alarm goes off, yelling “exterminate” angrily and pursuing the Doctor~

TEAM:

~the rest of them nod solemnly and activate their teleports~

JOHN:

~grabs onto the Doctor’s wrist since he’s closest as he activates his in order to not leave the Timelord behind~

DOCTOR:

~does appreciate John teleporting him, infuriated by the fact that no matter what he does, people with him almost always get hurt—or worse, in this and quite a few other cases, checking in with the Master solemnly~

MASTER:

~comforts the Doctor when the other Timelord checks on him, not having to know what happened to know that something’s wrong~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the Doctor and the group of five reappear in a room with convenient teleport pods, with a door at the opposite side of the room that looks ultra-secure; there’s little to no gravity~

DOCTOR:

~smiles faintly at the Master’s comfort, carefully attempting to use the floor to move himself toward one of the pods, not knowing why he expected gravity in the first place~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the pods are smaller than the ones in UNIT but they manage three people per pod; each person gets themselves into one of the compartments as the teleport back to UNIT is activated~

MASTER:

~proudly feeds another telepathic presence through their bond~

ALIA:

~sends over a simple, ecstatic “hi Daddy!” to the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~his smile grows more genuine, though there are tears in his eyes. Sends back “hello sweetie, Daddy will be home soon.” Manages to recompose himself a second after they’ve been teleported, adopting a serious, solemn look as to not be smiling as Rachel’s death is reported~

KATE:

~is there when they teleport in, coming up to the group and doing a quick headcount~ Rachel?

TEAM:

~the rest of the group shake their heads~

KATE:

~nods understandingly, after a moment gesturing for the Doctor to follow~ you did great out there. We’re working on taking down the remaining two ships, and then hopefully the invasion will be off.

DOCTOR:

Hopefully. ~repeats the word as if he doesn’t trust it, though he doesn’t believe he did great either—how could anything resulting in so much death be great regardless or purpose or race? Follows Kate, not letting himself let his guard down just yet~

KATE:

~she walks back to the room with the computers~

ENVIRONMENT:

~on the screens it shows the approaching Dalek ships. Their shields are down and the people at their desks are preparing to launch their weapon, almost ready now~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the screens, observing them closely to see if there’s any sign of reinforcements, also checking to see if the one they were on has exploded yet~

ENVIRONMENT:

~one of the approaching ships looks like it’s been a little damaged apart from the lack of a shield; after a minute or so the weapon from earth launches, destroying one of the warships successfully. The second launch comes soon after the first, destrorying the other ship as the people in the room cheer at their success~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, though he doesn’t cheer, looking across the monitors before askign~ is that it, then? I mean, I don’t doubt the Daleks did something to somehow survive, but that’s it for _this_ invasion.

KATE:

There’s still the two other non-Dalek ships. ~looks up at the screen, then over at the Doctor~ ever figure out what the other two races were called?

DOCTOR:

The Krikkit weren’t very conversational… the one ship should explode in a matter of minutes. If they had listened in the slightest you know I would have tried to make peace. ~raises the pistol that he’s still holding slightly to gesture to it~ and I woulnd’t be carrying this.

KATE:

Oh ~reaches over to take the pistol from the Doctor~ here. Sorry. ~hands the weapon over to someone else nearby~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the image on the radar displays one of the ships detonating, and the other is close enough to be badly damaged by the explosion~

DOCTOR:

It’s quite alright. ~sees the ship do exactly as he had planned, remembering the Daleks’ name for him, “The Oncoming Storm”~ it was a necessary tool at the time.

KATE:

~looks up at what’s left of the ship indecisively~ alright; do you think we’ve done enough? I doubt they could do much else with half of a ship left. ~turning to the Doctor for a final verdict~

DOCTOR:

~nods after only a second’s thought~ if they _do_ try to attack with that they are of less intelligence than I thought, which is saying something for a race allied with the Daleks. ~he does think of the few Daleks who might be on the remaining ship but dismisses it, deciding he’s killed enough for one day~

KATE:

~nods~ I suppose we’re done here, then. Thank you, Doctor.

MASTER:

~asks if he can bring the TARDIS back now~

DOCTOR:

~responds in the positive~ any time; though you might want to ring next time, you scared me and the Master as well with the sudden teleport. ~is smiling as he speaks, making it clear he doesn’t mind that much, thinking that maybe he should bid Martha farewell before flying off in the TARDIS~

KATE:

But you don’t have a mobile. As far as I know. ~looks a bit confused~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a few seconds later the familiar sound of the TARDIS landing comes from downstairs~

DOCTOR:

Ask Martha; she had me carry a cell phone in case she needs to contact me, she’d know the number. ~smiles and starts toward the staircase to go down to his TARDIS~

MASTER:

~is waiting for the Doctor by the TARDIS, giving him a playfully scolding look until the Doctor is within reach, grabbing the other Timelord by the shoulders and pulling him into a kiss as his hands run through the Doctor’s hair~

ENVIRONMENT:

~footsteps approach them~

MASTER:

~briefly opens his eyes to glance over at Martha and give her a small, victorious smirk before continuing more passionately~

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t notice Martha, kissing the Master back with equivalent passion as if he hadn’t even heard anyone approach, wrapping his arms around the Master~

MASTER:

~lets the kiss drag on, putting on a bit of a show~

MARTHA:

~watches with an awkwardly confounded expression~

MASTER:

~when he finally ends the kiss, he pouts slightly~ aw. Of all things, you had to go and get your tongue burned… ~lifts a finger to the Doctor’s bottom lip and flicks it gently as he speaks, still rather close to the Doctor’s face. He shrugs slightly, bringing his hand to the Doctor’s jaw as he smiles mischievously~ it could’ve been worse.

DOCTOR:

~smiles back at the Master~ had to make sure something was what we were looking for—it was, but the material we were looking for reacts a bit violently with water. ~at first his gaze is still locked onto the Master, though after a second he does finally glance over and realize that Martha probably saw the majority of what happened based solely on her facial expression. Doesn’t know what to do at first, laughing after a second at the situation~ and hello, Martha. I don’t think introductions are necessary.

MASTER:

~steps back and gives Martha a satisfied smirk~

MARTHA:

~awkwardly looks around the room~ Well _I’ve_ seen things I can’t unsee… ~eventually manages to meet the Doctor’s gaze~ right: I was going to see you off. ~steps forward and offers her hand to the Doctor, still a bit awkward and avoiding looking at the Master~

DOCTOR:

~shakes Martha’s hand, knowing not to try for a hug~ yes, right, sorry. See you next global alien disaster… oh, and say hey to Micky for me.

MARTHA:

I will. ~smiles slightly as the awkwardness is lifted just a bit, getting abruptly pushed aside as a small being bounds out of the TARDIS~

ALIA:

~heads straight for the Doctor, exclaiming joyously~ Daddy! ~as she collides with him and wraps her arms around him tightly~

DOCTOR:

Alia! ~slides his arms under Alia’s to pick her up, spinning her around once in a hug before just holding her, smiling warmly~ what did you do while I was gone? Anything fun? ~it’s clear part of the reason he’s asking is to see if she can answer~

ALIA:

~giggles as she’s spun around, looking thoughtful at the Doctor’s question for a moment before smiling and shaking her head~ no.

MASTER:

~folds his arms and looks indignant~

DOCTOR:

~laughs at Alia’s and the Master’s responses, gesturing over to Martha~ that’s Martha, she’s a friend of mine. She helped me save planet Earth.

MARTHA:

~waves timidly~

ALIA:

~wraps her arms around the Doctor’s neck as she looks over at Martha with a grin~ hi!

MASTER:

~smiles warmly and looks over at the Doctor, obviously not wanting to stick around much longer~ shall we get going?

DOCTOR:

Sure thing. ~starts towards the TARIDS, carrying Alia and waving slightly in a final farewell to Martha, understanding why the Master doesn’t want to stay too long~

MASTER:

~follows after the Doctor, closing the door behind him~

ALIA:

~rests her head on the Doctor’s chest, smiling as she closes her eyes and actually starts to seem rather tired~

DOCTOR:

~speaks softly as he can tell how tired Alia is~ that actually went better than I expected, all things considered.

MASTER:

I still wish I didn’t have to get left behind. ~matches the Doctor’s soft tone, although he still manages to sound mildly irritated~ that planet can get a little bit boring after a while. ~it’s obvious that he doesn’t regret putting Alia’s safety first, though~

DOCTOR:

I didn’t want to leave you either, though I don’t doubt that it was the right decision. ~thinks through what had happened in the ship, knowing that if he’s honest he didn’t want Alia _or_ the Master to be on the ship with him~

MASTER:

~sighs lightly~ agreed. ~comes up to the Doctor, placing a hand on his back and looking over at Alia~

ALIA:

~is fast asleep on the Doctor’s shoulder~

DOCTOR:

~smiles faintly, mentally asking the TARDIS if she could move one of the extra bedrooms next to his and the Master’s now shared room~

TARDIS:

~easily complies, after a short moment declaring that the bedroom’s been moved as requested~

DOCTOR:

~mentally informs the Master that he had a bedroom moved for Alia, suggesting they bring her there~

MASTER:

~nods but doesn’t follow the Doctor right away, going over to the console and quickly has the TARDIS take off, just so that they aren’t standing around still in UNIT~

DOCTOR:

~walks over and turns into the hallway with Alia in his arms, not minding the Master getting them out of UNIT as he heads toward the newly relocated room~

MASTER:

~jogs after the Doctor as soon as the TARDIS is landed, walking behind him as they head into the room~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a single twin bed is in the center against the back wall and a few shelves and drawers on the walls to either side~

DOCTOR:

~walks over to gently lay Alia on the bed, smiling softly, whispering~ sweet dreams. ~glances briefly at the Master, his mind still catching up on the fact that he has a _family_ again, marveling at what had once been a fantasy~

MASTER:

~smiles as he walks over to stand beside the Doctor, looking down at Alia for a brief moment before taking the Doctor’s hand and leading him back out into the hallway, turning to face the other Timelord with a playful smile~ what shall we do with our time alone, Theta? I expect it will be becoming less common now that Alia’s here.

DOCTOR:

~smiles back, almost immediately gaining a more relaxed and casual demeanor~ whatever we want. ~delivers the response smoothly, though mentally it’s clear he has no clue what he wants, having been so focused on the invasion and Alia and everyone’s safety until now~

MASTER:

~steps forward, placing his hands on the Doctor’s chest and looking up at him insistently~ let’s have dinner. A proper one; somewhere nice. ~tilts his head slightly, smiling and glancing downward before meeting the Doctor’s gaze again~ the TARDIS can look after Alia and inform us if anything’s wrong.

DOCTOR:

Alright then, ~smiles happily at the Master, clearly liking the thought and already having a few ideas on where to go for dinner, checking to be sure the TARDIS is fine with the plan though he’s sure she won’t mind as he starts toward the console~

MASTER:

~doesn’t follow the Doctor right away, glancing down at his clothes~ mind if I change before we go?

TARDIS:

~clearly doesn’t mind watching Alia at all~

DOCTOR:

~stops and turns back around to the Master to respond~ of course not; go right ahead. ~casually leaning on the wall a little~

MASTER:

~smiles and nods in thanks, starting to walk down the hallway and slowing in front of the Doctor, taking hold of his leash loosely~ why don’t you go set something up while you’re waiting? ~keeps walking, letting the leash slip out of his hand as he continues walking at a casual stride towards the wardrobe~

DOCTOR:

~gives a small smile at the Master’s gesture, taking the suggestion and turning back around to continue toward the console room to set the coordinates for the restaurant~

~•~

MASTER:

~comes back into the console room about ten minutes later wearing a simple grey tuxedo with a matching tie, wondering audibly if he’s overdoing it with his choice in outfit as he smiles in uncertainty and walks up to the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~turns to the Master when he walks over, eyeing him up and down before meeting his gaze and smiling in timid reassurance~ you look amazing.

MASTER:

Why thank you. ~grins, stepping up to give the Doctor a brief kiss and looking over at the console~ so, have we got someplace picked out?

DOCTOR:

Yes. Nobilis Ianthinarum… which actually translates to “the noble badger”, don’t ask me why it’s called that, I wasn’t there—not yet, anyway.

MASTER:

~chuckles, looking over the coordinates on the monitor~ it would be awfully inconvenient if another alien problem turns up while we’re there.

DOCTOR:

Story of my life. At least I’ve gotten better at landing at the right place. Once, I was trying to go to a beach and landed on a planet entirely covered with snow. Then Donna insulted my TARDIS. ~narrows his eyes slightly though he’s smiling~

MASTER:  
Awh, poor baby. ~pouts exaggeratedly, his tone playfully mocking as he turns to the console and pulls the takeoff lever, eager to get going~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles at the Master’s actions, running about the TARDIS to fly her, instantly realizing that the breaks are still off and the stabilizers are still on but figuring that it’s best given the fact that Alia’s asleep~

MASTER:

~helps out a bit, smiling as he realizes the TARDIS is home to the both of them now when a while ago he probably wouldn’t have been allowed to fly the ship, or at least not trusted to~

TARDIS:

~lands, telling the two Timelords to have a good time~

DOCTOR:

We will! ~responds to the TARDIS aloud, happily striding up to the front doors and making it a point to open the door for the Master though in a way that makes it seem more like he’s presenting the impressive alien restaurant than fulfilling a frankly pointless act of courtesy~

MASTER:

~smiles and nods to the Doctor, stepping out where they’ve landed in the lobby of the restaurant and reaching over to grasp the end of the Doctor’s leash as he does so~

DOCTOR:

~steps out after the Master and closes the door behind himself, not doing anything to try to prevent the Master from using his leash~

ENVIRONMENT:

~an Ood stands behind a podium of sorts, setting up seating and escorting a small group of Silurians to their table, immediately replaced by another Ood~

MASTER:

~walks up to the podium where the second Ood stands, leading the Doctor along with his left hand, which he stuffs into his pocket as he speaks to the Ood~ are there any tables open? If not, that’s fine, we can make a reservation.

OOD:

~the Ood’s white orb that he carries glows as he speaks~ there are currently two open tables for a party of your size; one on the upper level, and one on this level, sir. You and the Doctor are most welcome here.

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the Ood’s statement~

MASTER:

~glances over at the Doctor~ so, you know them? ~gesturing faintly to the Ood in front of him, answering~ we’ll have the one on the upper level, please.

OOD:

~nods~ very well, right this way. ~starting towards a staircase~

DOCTOR:

~responds~ yes; they’re the Ood. They were a slave race to the humans at one point—I ended that—which is why you’ll find some with these glowing orbs while an Ood that was never made a human servant would have their second brain there.

MASTER:

~follows the Ood up the staircase, keeping the Doctor leashed~ a slave race, then? ~smirks slightly, but doesn’t continue his comment~

DOCTOR:

Not anymore; the fact that they had a sort of telepathic connection—more like the thing you used to keep the humans under control during the Year That Never Was more than anything else—which the humans manipulated to make the Ood a slave race. I stopped them.

OOD:

~leads them to a table in front of a window which has comfortably dim lighting as it seems as if the sun is halfway set outside~

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor’s leash, regrettably, in order to pull out a chair and sit at one side of the table. Looks out the window wistfully, seeming lost in thought for a few moments~

OOD:

~sets menus on their table and leaves to assist others~

DOCTOR:

~picks up the menu to see what’s on it, noticing the Master’s demeanor~ what’re you thinking? ~forgetting that he could just check~

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor, remaining silent for a moment before turning forward to pick up the menu with a small smile~ this place is very nice. Is the sunset just coincidence?

DOCTOR:

Not entirely. I tried for a later time, knowing brightly lit places aren’t your preference, which I’m sure increased the chance of it being during sunset.

MASTER:

~smiles a bit wider, looking more closely at the menu~ you would know that, wouldn’t you? ~loses his smile after a moment and leaves the menu flat on the table as he drops his hands into his lap~

DOCTOR:

~smiles as well at the comment, not answering it. After a second he decides what he wants and sets the menu down, looking concerned upon seeing the Master’s expression~ what’s wrong?

MASTER:

~meets the Doctor’s gaze~ I’m fine; don’t worry. ~gives a small, reassuring smile before looking down to give the menu a last once-over, deciding on what he wants as well~

DOCTOR:

~his doubt is rather evident even without the mental link, though he doesn’t voice it~

OOD:

~soon enough, the Ood comes back to take their order~

MASTER:

~looks up at Ood, giving his order, and smiling mischievously as he asks for some wine for the both of them~

DOCTOR:

~places his order as well, smiling~

OOD:

~writes the orders down before leaving the table again~

MASTER:

~takes the menus and sets them aside, bringing his hands back under the table and looking across at the Doctor~ so… what are we going to do about Alia? Raising her in the TARDIS just doesn’t sound proper.

DOCTOR:

Nothing about her life is going to sound proper compared to ours; it’s not like we can head back to the old place, send her to the Academy, and raise her like we were… Every other school system is horribly flawed and how in hell would we pay for a house? I can only hack an ATM so many times for so much before getting caught.

MASTER:

~smiles knowingly, mentally making the same offer he made back on the planet with the Drynn~ oh, don’t pretend the Academy’s system wasn’t flawed as well. And if you’re absolutely determined to set up on earth, we could _actually_ try making some honest money. It wouldn’t be too hard; humans are easy to impress.

DOCTOR:

You and me with jobs and a house… ~chuckles slightly at the pure thought of it~ Earth would be the only place we could blend in at all… though Alia’s going to ask why she learns faster and seems to age slower than everyone else… And, if this lasts long enough, why everyone dies before we even grow old.

MASTER:

~is thoughtfully silent for a moment~ it’s still better than having her grow up alone. I mean, we might be able to escape a bit of that with time travel, though there’s the issue of traveling being dangerous. ~pauses~ we wouldn’t have to make anything permanent of course; it’d just be nice to have a home to come back to.

DOCTOR:

That it would… doesn’t change the fact that she’ll be different, but it’s certainly better than nothing. ~spaces out a bit, staring at the table for a moment, knocked out of it when the Ood comes back with their food, nearly jumping when the plates are set down~

MASTER:

~shivers, unenthusiastically thanking the Ood and looking back at the Doctor with a teasing grin~ what are _you_ thinking about, then? ~keeps his hands under the table, not going for his food just yet~

DOCTOR:

~still seems to doubt the Master being “fine”, giving his thanks to the Ood as it leaves them again~ why I initially chose Earth as a planet to focus on whenever I ran away. ~picks up the necessary utensils to eat his food, taking a bite~

MASTER:

~nods in understanding, losing his smile again and staring down at his plate for a moment before averting his gaze to look out the window, giving a small sigh as he brings his shaking hands above the table to grab a utensil and start eating~

DOCTOR:

~sighs knowingly, the only reason why the Master’s hands ever shake like that being his addiction—or physical strain/exhaustion, but that’s highly unlikely now~ why do you always insist on not telling me when something’s wrong?

MASTER:

~smiles warmly despite himself~ because I’d hate to worry you. Especially now ~pauses to take another bite~ I wouldn’t want to ruin dinner, would I?

DOCTOR:

I’m always worried about one thing or another… ~smiles back at the Master~ though I guess I’m the biggest hypocrite in the room if I’m criticizing you on always saying you’re fine.

MASTER:

~subconsciously glances around at the rest of the people in the room at the Doctor’s statement~ I use the term with the implication that I can take care of whatever it is on my own, usually. ~wondering gloomily if Alia will find out about his addiction before they manage to get rid of it~

DOCTOR:

Yeah… ~bites his lip to stop himself from continuing~

OOD:

~brings over the wine, apologizing for the delay, then leaving again~

DOCTOR:

~starts laughing seemingly at nothing after a second~

MASTER:

~looks at the Doctor in surprise, then confusion, not knowing what about this is worth laughing about~ what is it?

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head, stopping his laughing~ sorry, it’s just that we can’t seem to go five minutes without becoming absolutely solemn when look at what we have? ~lifts his wine glass~ to the fact that, for once, things aren’t absolutely falling apart.

MASTER:

~smiles happily, lifting his glass as well~ alright, you win. We do have it pretty good at the moment. ~brings his glass back to take a small sip of the wine, looking thoughtful for a moment before smiling in approval~

DOCTOR:

~sips his wine as well, smiling as he sets it down and continues on his food~ I didn’t know this was a competition. ~speaks between bites as a response to the Master’s statement~

MASTER:

It’s not. ~takes another sip of the wine before setting it down~ it’s foolish to make good or bad moods into a competition, don’t you think? Especially if the negative side wins. ~seems less reluctant to eat now, though his hands still shake rather noticeably~

DOCTOR:

Guess you’re right. ~happily eats his food, occasionally sipping his wine, glad the Master seems to be at least a little more comfortable~

MASTER:

~eventually finishes most of what’s on his plate as he was actually rather hungry, picking up his wineglass and casually sipping at it from time to time~ so, does this count as a decision on living arrangements?

DOCTOR:

I suppose so… ~nears completion of his meal as well as he speaks~ I have to say, preventing the triple invasion on Earth went smoother than I expected… Of course I had hoped to get everyone out alive, but still.

MASTER:

It’s fine. No one could possibly ask you to be a perfect hero every time. ~smiles slightly, brushing his foot past the Doctor’s under the table~ and honestly, I don’t think I could have learned to love someone that perfect.

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the gesture, finishing his meal and nearly doing so to his wine as well~ if we looked for perfection, what would separate us from the Daleks and the Cybermen? Besides… I don’t think I’d want to be able to always save everyone.

OOD:

~soon returns and asks if they’d like dessert or the check~

MASTER:

~looks up at the Ood, glancing over at the Doctor and mentally asking if he’s got any currency on hand as he replies~ no, bring the check, please. ~not wanting to overdo things after eating barely anything for a month~

DOCTOR:

~immediately realizes he hasn’t ever needed the necessary currency before, assuring the Master that, despite his lack of actual money, he can get the meal “payed for”~

MASTER:

~gives the Doctor a playfully suspicious look before nodding to the Ood and leaning forward on the table, finishing the remainder of what was in his wineglass. Lowers his gaze to his still-shaking hands thoughtfully~

DOCTOR:

~takes the psychic paper out of his pocket, setting it open on the table so the Master can see it, muttering under his breath~ luckily, the Ood’s telepathic abilities are limited.

MASTER:

~is confused for a moment, but soon understands, nodding again and looking over to the Ood to see what he makes of it~

OOD:

~looks at the psychic paper thoroughly before writing something down on the check and setting the psychic paper down before saying~ have a nice day.

DOCTOR:

~seems confused by this, but shrugs it off~

MASTER:

~stands up after a moment, glancing around briefly~ well, shall we get going then? There’s a lot to do. ~not mentioning the issue with his shakiness, although it’s pretty obvious by now as his whole body shivers faintly and he looks a little flushed~

DOCTOR:

~stands up as well~ yeah. ~starts walking in the direction of the TARDIS, mentally telling the Master that he’ll keep Alia busy while he takes care of his need, reassuring the Master that he has no intention of telling Alia about it~

MASTER:

~swallows and nods, following the Doctor down the staircase and back to the TARDIS~

 


	22. Ocean Planet

TARDIS:

~waits for them, asking cheerfully how it went and informing them that Alia’s in a light sleep at the moment, and hasn’t caused any trouble~

DOCTOR:

~responds that it went well—at least well enough, opening the door to enter the TARDIS. Informs the TARDIS on the plans that were established using his memories as he walks in~

TARDIS:

~she seems positively delighted, but only for a moment, realizing that Alia has awoken~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a small wail comes from down the hallway~

DOCTOR:

~quickly understands what’s going on and runs through the console room and the hallway to get into Alia’s room, knowing waking up in the unknown area without them around must have been frightening~

MASTER:

~figuring the Doctor will take care of this, closes the door and walks out into the hallway, pausing a moment before heading to the left~

ALIA:

~is sitting up on the bed, stopping her wailing when the Doctor comes in and reaching out to him in distress~ Daddy!

DOCTOR:

~smiles and easily strides over to be within reach, hugging Alia and murmuring reassuringly~ yes, I’m here. You’re still in the TARDIS, just your own bedroom. You fell asleep while I was carrying you. ~backs off of the hug a bit to meet Alia’s gaze~ you alright?

ALIA:

~sniffles as she regains her composure, nodding~ yes, Daddy. ~smiles brightly, tightening her hold around the Doctor’s neck and snuggling up to him~

DOCTOR:

~mentally swears to himself that Alia won’t have to go through what he and the Master went through when he gets a genuine positive answer to his so frequently asked question, smiling happily~ want to see how I fly the TARDIS? I could even let you help me.

ALIA:

~her expression changes to one of sudden surprise, moving back from the hug and seeming to ignore the Doctor’s offer entirely as she gives the Doctor a worried look~ where Father? ~it becomes evident that Alia must’ve heard bits of the Doctor’s thoughts~

DOCTOR:

He’s fine, your father is just exhausted, I’m letting him sleep for now. ~is more careful about concealing certain thoughts now, adding sincerely~ I’m so sorry my unguarded thoughts worried you, they have nothing to do with anything recent… I forgot that you could hear them.

ALIA:

~giggles and then laughs, jumping out of bed with a happy grin as if her worried had simply disappeared~

DOCTOR:

~is surprised for a second before smiling, knowing Alia may have only understood that everything’s currently okay, looking over at the young Timelord~

ALIA:

~looks up at the Doctor and tugs at his trench coat in the direction of the door, speaking excitedly~ come on; show me, show me!

DOCTOR:

Alright, I’ll show you! Promise not to touch anything unless I tell you to? ~starts to stride into the hallway, nearly matching Alia’s excitement~

ALIA:

~fidgets before bounding after the Doctor, speaking reluctantly~ yes, Daddy.

DOCTOR:

~turns into the console room, heading directly to the keyboard and monitor~ this is where we set the destination in space-time… you want to see a new planet?

ALIA:

~her eyes go wide with awe as she looks over the rim of the console at the different controls, her hands folded behind her; she looks over at the Doctor and gives an excited nod~

DOCTOR:

You can even choose. ~lifts Alia enough so she can reach the keys~ press any of the grey keys, carefully, one at a time. I might have to add something in-between, so it’d help if you pause just a little between keys. I’ll tell you when to stop.

ALIA:

Oooh! ~looks down at the keys excitedly, poking in a few numbers, specifically 9 digits before stopping~

DOCTOR:

There we go, that’ll do it. Then the brake’s over there, but I’ll tell you a secret: I leave the brakes on for the noise. ~makes sure the brakes are in fact on, and checks the coordinates to be sure they’re close enough to a planet to let them land~

ALIA:

~giggles happily, following the Doctor as he moves about the console and peering at the takeoff lever~ what’s that?

DOCTOR:

The takeoff lever. We have a destination, so we can pull it now. ~lifts Alia to let her pull the lever~ go ahead and pull it.

ALIA:

~grins in excitement, thoroughly enjoying this activity; she reaches out to pull the lever with as much finesse as she can manage while being held up by the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~quickly sets Alia down and flies the TARDIS with equal if not greater flamboyancy than he used to, trying to make it a show for Alia~

ALIA:

~tries to follow the Doctor around, watching his movements as closely as she can with wide, wonder-filled eyes~

DOCTOR:

~they land soon enough and the Doctor begins to speak again~ this is where you let Daddy check first to make sure it’s safe, alright? ~starts towards the door as he speaks, still seeming excited~

ALIA:

~nods enthusiastically, standing beside the console~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they seem to have landed in the middle of an ocean, though the TARDIS shields keep the water away from a small portion of what’s outside. Little fish with a glowing circle on their bodies swim past, in between tall plants that reach almost all the way to the surface~

DOCTOR:

~smiles as he opens the doors—the shields create a sort of bubble around the TARDIS, stepping out and touching the wall of water to be sure it’s just water~ you can come out, Alia.

ENVIRONMENT:

~the water is harmless~

ALIA:

Ooooh; what’s this, Daddy? ~practically bounces with excitement on her way out the door, looking around in awe and noticing what looks like a half-sunken, still-partially-on-fire crashed ship to the left in more shallow waters~

DOCTOR:

~frowns at the crashed ship but smiles again as he explains~ you landed us underwater! Most of the animals around us only live in the water.

ALIA:

Yay! ~jumps up once before doing a lap around the TARDIS, running up to the Doctor’s side and tugging at his trench coat~ I did it I did it!

DOCTOR:

~grins happily, looking at Alia with pride though he’s starting to get a little worried about the Master~ yes you did! You flew the TARDIS! ~picks Alia up, spinning her around once before setting her back down~

ALIA:

~laughs, grinning and going up to the wall of water, sticking her hand through and jumping back in surprise at the feel of the different substance~

ENVIRONMENT:

~further off, a sound resembling a whale call echoes through the water, where a massive stingray-like creature with a shelled back floats slowly in the deeper waters~

DOCTOR:

~points to the immense creature~ can you see that, Alia? That giant creature? He’s saying hello.

ALIA:

~gasps, stepping up to the wall of water to try to see into the distance, waving enthusiastically and calling out~ hi!!

DOCTOR:

~chuckles happily at Alia’s response~ it _is_ beautiful… though there isn’t much we can do as _we_ can’t breathe underwater. ~grimaces slightly as he remembers being drowned repetitively~

ALIA:

~jumps back as a long-bodied fish with a rather menacing, toothy grin swims past, hiding behind the Doctor fearfully~

DOCTOR:

~looks confused for only a second before he notices the long, threatening fish~ it’s alright. ~steps forward a little to reach out into the water and pet the fish in a way he knows shouldn’t entice it, ready to recoil should the fish make any sudden movements~

FISH:

~it passively keeps swimming, allowing for the Doctor to make contact and not seeming like it minds the gesture~

ALIA:

~watches closely, in awe of the Doctor’s fearlessness~

DOCTOR:

See? No reason to be afraid. ~smiles at Alia, bringing his hand back out of the water after he’s pet the fish a bit~ most species are happy to live and let live.

ALIA:

~smiles happily, latching onto the Doctor’s arm and snuggling up to it. Looks up at the Doctor after a moment, speaking excitedly~ why doesn’t Father come out and see? ~glances back at the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

I’ll ask him telepathically. ~blocks whatever he may receive from Alia, checking on the Master and hoping he doesn’t find out anything too bad~

ALIA:

Tele… tele-what? ~looks intrigued by the odd word~

MASTER:

~replies that he just needs some time to rest. He seems to have stubbornly done nothing about his addiction, going against what the Doctor had expected~

DOCTOR:

~sighs, shaking his head though he almost expects stubbornly continuous unpredictability from the Master by now~ it’s a word for when you communicate with thoughts rather than words. Your father isn’t coming out, he’s terribly exhausted from going through things I can’t explain.

ALIA:

Oh… ~glances downward with exaggerated thoughtfulness. After her thinking session she turns to the half-sunken ship excitedly~ what’s that!?

DOCTOR:

That’s… a crashed ship. It’s probably still burning a little above water. ~seems a bit less enthusiastic with this explanation as he wonders how many died in the crash~

ALIA:

Woah…

ENVIRONMENT:

~the whole surrounding area shudders faintly~

TARDIS:

~notes to the Doctor that the ship’s causing a rather large amount of radiation in the area that might lead to spontaneous combustion of its engines. Assures the Doctor that her shields are successfully keeping the radiation out, however, and they’re safe for the moment~

DOCTOR:

In fact, for that reason, we might want to get inside the TARDIS. Crashed ships sometimes explode and the TARDIS has informed me that that could easily become the exploding kind in a matter of minutes. ~doesn’t seem overly concerned or urgent as he knows they’re safe right now~

ALIA:

~gasps happily, looking at the ship expectantly~ woah… really? ~grins~ cool!

DOCTOR:

~chuckles a little gravely~ you have your father’s liking for destruction… we really should get inside; I’ll set up the monitor so you can still see the explosion, if you like.

ALIA:

Okay! ~turns back to the Doctor, smiling and giving a small nod before skipping back into the TARDIS cheerfully~

DOCTOR:

~walks inside, closing the doors behind him and striding over to set the monitor to display the ship~

ALIA:

~hurries up to the console, watching the display of the ship intently~

ENVIRONMENT:

~after a minute or so the ground shivers and the ship quickly goes up in explosive flames, blowing off about half of the outside shell and leaving the vessel looking even more wretched than it did before~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the ship, frowning and shaking his head though he can’t seem to stop himself from watching it~

ALIA:

~looks over at the Doctor curiously~ what is it, Daddy?

DOCTOR:

~Looks down at Alia, deciding she can take this truth~ ships like that need people to run them, and I doubt there were many survivors of the crash… and those who did survive now die of either the radiation or the explosion itself.

ALIA:

~furrows her eyebrows, asking quietly~ what’s that mean? ~not really understanding the concept of death yet~

DOCTOR:

It means they’re asleep—sort of—and they will never wake up. It means that they were so badly hurt that they can’t even breathe anymore.

ALIA:

~frowns~ that’s awful… ~leans into the Doctor, sounding determined~ why didn’t we help them?

DOCTOR:

Because we couldn’t have; the ship was already crashed and on fire when we got there. ~rubs Alia’s back in a comforting way~

ALIA:

~she sighs sadly, lowering her gaze for a moment before suddenly perking up, pointing at the monitor~ look there!

ENVIRONMENT:

~a small escape pod sits atop the water a good distance from the ship, coming around from the opposite side of the ship as it floats into view, just now becoming visible~

DOCTOR:

~smiles once he realizes what Alia’s seeing~ well, now we know at least some of them survived…

ALIA:

~smiles widely~ yay! ~wraps her arms around the Doctor’s waist in a hug~

DOCTOR:

~grins in happy pride, hugging Alia back before turning the monitor back to its usual display~ so, what do you want to do now? Want to play some games? I have loads of them.

ALIA:

~lets go of the Doctor, looking interested~ ooh, what games?

DOCTOR:

Here, follow me. It’s easier to just show you. ~starts toward the hallway, stopping himself from thinking back to the Master’s “game” that the Master himself probably doesn’t remember~

ALIA:

~follows closely after the Doctor, looking around at the walls and down the long hallway~ how big is this place? ~speaking softly~

DOCTOR:

Nearly infinitely so… actually, _exactly_ infinitely so. The TARDIS can rearrange and block off areas as she pleases, too.

ALIA:

~gives a small giggle, reaching out to run a hand along the wall affectionately~ she’s nice; I like her.

DOCTOR:

~smiles at Alia’s statement~ I’ve known her nearly as long as I’ve known your father; for hundreds and hundreds of years…

ALIA:

Whoah; that’s really long. ~looks up at the Doctor curiously~ like all the way back since Gallifrey~

DOCTOR:

Ye- ~looks at Alia, taken aback~ how do you even know about Gallifrey? ~wondering exactly how much Alia knows regarding Gallifrey~

ALIA:

~tilts her head to the side~ Father told me. He said it’s where we came from. ~pauses for a moment, adding decisively~ Timelords.

DOCTOR:

Ah, that makes sense… Anyway, yes… All the way back since Gallifrey… she’s how I ran away from home in the first place.

ALIA:

~looks a bit confused~ but isn’t the TARDIS your home?

DOCTOR:

She has been for a very long time… I _was_ born and raised in a proper house back on Gallifrey.

ALIA:

What’s a house? ~giggles peering into the medicine room when they pass it curiously~

DOCTOR:

It’s a structure that’s similar to the TARDIS bigger than the TARDIS on the outside and its inside matches the outside. It also isn’t alive and can’t fly.

ALIA:

~looks disappointed~ it sounds boring.

DOCTOR:

I miss it sometimes… It can’t compare to the TARDIS, but still…

ALIA:

It’s okay Daddy, ~walks closer to the Doctor~ we can get another house!

DOCTOR:

~wonders once again about how much Alia knows about what happened to Gallifrey, smiling at her as they near the game room~ your father and I have actually been discussing that.

ALIA:

~gasps, looking delighted~ see, I told you! ~smiles up at the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~speaks in a conversational tone, smiling as well~ so, what _did_ your father tell you about Gallifrey?

ALIA:

Oh, just that it’s where Timelords come from… and that it’s gone now. ~glances at the floor, becoming somber~

DOCTOR:

~nods, opening the door to the game room and knowing Alia will eventually want to know why her planet of origin is gone and why they’re the last Timelords~ well, we’re here!

ALIA:

~looks around the room, transitioning back to her cheery mood~ what’s this? ~excitedly runs about the room, examining anything she finds remotely interesting~

DOCTOR:

It is my room filled with games of all sorts: puzzle, adventure, shooter, rpg, fighter… not too much sports, mind you. ~looks at the boxes, trying to decide what they should play and realizing they left the Portal 2 case by the Xbox, hoping it goes unnoticed~

ALIA:

These are games? ~goes up to the boxes of game cases in the center, plucking one out at random and looking it over in confusion~

DOCTOR:

Yeah, I can show you how they work after we pick one. ~decidedly walks over to the wii box and takes out “Endless Ocean: Blue World”~ I think you’d like this one, it’s about exploring the oceans of Earth.

ALIA:

~walks over to the Doctor, dropping the game she had been looking at back into another box~ what’s Earth? ~peers at the game case the Doctor’s holding curiously~

DOCTOR:

It’s one of my favorite planets, and home to the humans. ~starts toward the wii system and its screen, holding the game~

ALIA:

Humans… ~looks thoughtful for a moment before running after the Doctor, staring up at the screen in awed confusion~

DOCTOR:

~turns the screen and the wii on, taking two remotes with nunchucks to set up the game~ they look a lot like Timelords, but they smell different and only have one heart. Martha’s a human.

ALIA:

~her eyes widen when the screen turns on, pointing up to it and asking quietly~ what’s that?

DOCTOR:

What, the screen? It’s a simple display system. Here, you control things on the screen with these. ~takes the controller and gives it to Alia, showing her how to hold it~

ALIA:

~is completely entranced by the device, messing with every button and watching what it does on the screen with delight~

DOCTOR:

~sets up the game itself, explaining to Alia how the game works, it being basically a sandbox-style exploration game~

ALIA:

~nods at the Doctor’s explanation, continuing to mess with the controller and eventually popping its battery compartment open, looking at the batteries curiously~

DOCTOR:

Those keep the remote charged by storing energy—they’re called batteries. The remote won’t work without them, but you can pop them out and back in without breaking it so you can get new batteries when those run out of energy.

ALIA:

Could we give one to Father? ~takes one of the batteries out, offering it up to the Doctor~ then he could come play with us! ~smiles~

DOCTOR:

~smiles and chuckles, finding the notion adorable~ no, I’m afraid it only works on machines. ~mentally sends the memory of Alia’s response to batteries to the Master, as it was extremely cute~

ALIA:

Oh. ~looks crestfallen, putting the battery back into its spot backwards~

MASTER:

~appreciates the memory, telling the Doctor to inform Alia that he’ll try to get back to them as soon as he can~

DOCTOR:

Your Father says he’ll be back to us as soon as he can. ~smiles softly at Alia~ I want him to have his energy back too.

ALIA:

~smiles back, climbing up onto the chair behind her and looking at the screen expectantly as she twiddles with the controller, not realizing right away that it’s not working because of its backwards battery~

DOCTOR:

Alia, you put the battery in backwards, it’s not going to do anything that way. ~offers his help in fixing the small problem~ even I get them in the wrong way around sometimes, it’s an easy mistake to make.

ALIA:

Oh. ~looks down at the controller in bewilderment, smiling after the Doctor’s helped her switch it back around~ thanks, Daddy!

DOCTOR:

No problem. ~smiles back, continuing to play the split-screen exploration game with Alia, whales and fish and sharks all within view in-game~

ALIA:

What’s that called? ~gesturing to a whale~ he sounds just like that other one! ~smiling happily~

DOCTOR:

It’s called a whale: a beluga whale, from the look of it. There are several different types of whale, but they all care for their young and actually can breathe air because they’re not fish.

ALIA:

~repeats the word “fish” a few times, giggling in amusement and doing a rather rubbish job at maneuvering efficiently, though she herself doesn’t mind~

DOCTOR:

Yes; fish are a lot of what you see in the ocean. ~smiles, veering dangerously close to a great white shark in-game to look at it~

ALIA:

Careful, Daddy! ~looks worried, recognizing the shark as possible danger~

DOCTOR:

I’ll be fine; more people die of coconuts falling on their heads than of shark attacks. Besides, this is just a game. ~goes to look at a manta ray~

ALIA:

~smiles again~ okay! ~seems contented with just looking around at all the different kinds of small fish~

DOCTOR:

~knows this game has plenty enough to look at to keep Alia busy, but finds it enough of an absent-minded activity to make the Master’s absence more than evident to him, realizing this is the first time in a long while that they’ve been separated while he doesn’t have some problem to solve~

MASTER:

~at this point, the Master’s mind is a reserved, but brooding presence of negativity coming from elsewhere in the TARDIS; most likely the older bedroom. He assures the Doctor with some relief of his own that he’ll be recovered in a matter of minutes if all goes well~

DOCTOR:

~accepts the reassurance though he’s not entirely sure what’s going on, exploring the game half-heartedly~

MASTER:

~after a little longer than five minutes, the Master does step through the doorway, his shakiness seeming to have gone though his pupils are dilated upon closer inspection~ Hi; I hope I haven’t kept you waiting too long.

ALIA:

~drops her controller, running over to the Master happily~ Father!

MASTER:

~smiles, taking a knee to better give Alia a hug when she reaches him~

DOCTOR:

~stands and sets his controller on his chair before striding over to the Master and Alia, smiling warmly at them~ not at all. We had fun; right, Alia?

ALIA:

~grins~ yeah!

MASTER:

~stands up, letting go of Alia and smiling down at her~

ALIA:

~continues excitedly~ I flew the TARDIS!!

DOCTOR:

Yes she did! She landed us in a rather beautiful ocean, though there _was_ an explosion, which we avoided being outside for. ~smiles pridefully~

MASTER:

~looks over at the Doctor in confusion~ an explosion? In an ocean…? ~looks over to Alia, asking her~ are we still landed here?

ALIA:

~nods eagerly~

DOCTOR:

A crashed ship blew up. There were survivors, it seemed. ~easily explains in response to the Master’s confusion~

ALIA:

Come sea, Father, come sea! ~tugs at the Master’s hand in the direction of the exit~

MASTER:

~smiles over at the Doctor, asking~ shell we?

DOCTOR:

~laughs at this~ whale, I can’t sea why not. ~starts toward the exit, smiling happily~

MASTER:

~laughs too, following after the Doctor~

ALIA:

~just looks confused~ what do you mean, Daddy?

DOCTOR:

~explains easily as he walks~ It’s called a bad pun, Alia. It’s a play on words: shells and whales are in the ocean and sound like the words “shall” and “well”, so we used them instead of “shall” and “well”. It’s supposed to be funny.

MASTER:

~pouts at the Doctor’s calling them bad puns, commenting~ I thought they were quite clever.

ALIA:

~smiles, giggling~

DOCTOR:

Don’t pretend they weren’t cheesy as anything! ~still smiling, catches a glance of the Master’s pout~ oh fine; it’s called a clever pun.

MASTER:

~is thoroughly amused, smiling again as he follows after the Doctor~

ALIA:

~trails along behind them~

DOCTOR:

~gets to the console room, spinning as he turns into it for the fun of it, knowing that by now the area within the TARDIS’ shields should be as safe as ever~

ALIA:

~runs ahead of them to open the doors, not heading outside right away as she looks around, noticing a small underwater vessel built for only two or three passengers heading towards them, and jumping back~ Daddy; what’s that!?

DOCTOR:

~jogs over, looking at the vessel~ either some of those who crashed or natives to the land; let’s go say hi. ~steps out of the TARDIS casually, watching the small vessel approach~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor out, leaving the TARDIS door open~

ALIA:

~stays in the doorway~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the vessel glides to a stop a few yards away from them, and a man in advanced diving gear climbs out of it, seeming to have been the only one in the ship~

MAN:

~he’s holding a device in one hand, swimming up to the edge of the shield and peering in at the other Timelords~

DOCTOR:

~waves, knowing that if anyone speaks the TARDIS will translate~ hello there, I’m the Doctor! Can we help you?

MAN:

~tentatively reaches through the wall of water, then steps through all the way, sliding his visor up after a moment to reveal extremely humanoid features~ Doctor who? ~looking around at the shield and into the TARDIS in awe~

DOCTOR:

Just the Doctor. And this is the Master and Alia… and the TARDIS. ~gestures to the members of his family in turn~

MASTER:

~waves~

ALIA:

~simply stares at the man in a reflection of his awe~

MAN:

It’s wonderful to meet you all. Are you- ~hesitates~ are you real? I mean, I’ve been alone for about a week now, going by the days on this planet. I fear it may be getting to me.

DOCTOR:

We’re perfectly real, I assure you. Though I do get where you’re coming from… ~remembers several times when being alone made him unstable, looking at the man in empathy~

MAN:

Thank god. ~sighs in relief, reasoning if this wasn’t real he wouldn’t be able to breathe right now. Seems to take on a more casual tone~ have you ever been to this planet before? It’s quite beautiful… I’m glad it’s where I happened to get stranded.

MASTER:

~has been looking around at the fish and the other creatures swimming by, agreeing~ it sure is.

DOCTOR:

So ships crash frequently here? ~knows that it at least seems like they couldn’t have been here for a week and, therefore, this man came from a different ship~

MAN:

Oh; no, sorry, you misunderstood—A day on this planet is about four hours long. That is, in fact, the ship I came from. ~gestures over to the remains of it~

MASTER:

~looks over the wreckage, commenting placidly~ unfortunate.

DOCTOR:

Oh, okay. I’m sorry for your loss. ~assumes no one else survives as otherwise the man would probably be traveling with someone else~

MAN:

~shakes his head~ it’s quite alright. I didn’t know any of them very well…

ALIA:

~as they’re talking she tiptoes up behind the Doctor, cautiously approaching the man and looking up at him pleadingly~ could you show Father one of the giant whales? Please? It’s gone away now and he missed it.

MAN:

~he looks down at Alia in surprise, smiling at her adorableness~

DOCTOR:

~looks down at Alia when she speaks, responding to her request before the man can~ Alia, we don’t even know if he’s _seen_ the giant stingray-turtle-whale-thing. Let alone if he can locate and show your father one.

MAN:

~chuckles, smiling still~ you mean the reefbacks? They’re not too hard to find. If you’d like, I could take you back to the submarine I’ve made, and I could show you a whole herd of them, close-up. ~looks over at the Doctor~ you three could follow me in the seaglide; the controls aren’t too difficult to figure out. ~gestures to the vessel behind him~

DOCTOR:

~thinks over the offer~ I’m fine with that; it’d probably be cool to see them close up! Master? ~looks to the other Timelord for this word on the subject, knowing the Master’s usually less trusting than him~

MASTER:

~shrugs~ why not?

MAN:

~smiles wider, speaking just before sliding his visor back down~ right, then! I’ll bring her over. ~he moves back out into the water, pushing the seaglide over so that its entrance is within the bubble of air~

DOCTOR:

~smiles thankfully, not wanting to swim and finding he doesn’t really want to even be underwater at all that much after being drowned repetitively in Aperture, his discomfort only evident for a moment as he closes the TARDIS up~

ALIA:

~gasps excitedly, running up to the door and opening it, climbing inside and sitting down in the single seat at the back~

MASTER:

~follows her in, asking the Doctor what he means by being drowned in Aperture, realizing he’s probably forgotten and telling the Doctor that he doesn’t have to answer that~

DOCTOR:

~climbs in last, looking over the controls and finding that they’re fairly standard, not further explaining his thoughts about drowning in Aperture as he fears further explanation will tempt the memory more than he already may have~

MASTER:

~reaches over to close up the door~

ENVIRONMENT:

~after he does so a robotic female voice comes from the dashboard saying “67 percent power.”~

MASTER:

~jumps slightly, startled~

MAN:

~swims a few meters away from the vessel, waiting for an okay from the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~carefully has the ship move up slightly so it’s not beached, nodding to the man and giving a look of mild distaste toward the robotic voice as he starts slowly toward the man~

MAN:

~he gives a small thumbs-up, pulling out a handheld propelling device that he uses to help him swim about as fast as the ship, leading the Doctor over to the opposite side of the crashed ship and occasionally coming up to the surface for air~

ALIA:

~looks out the window as they head into slightly deeper waters, entranced by what’s outside~

DOCTOR:

~easily follows the man, looking around through the window as well though the majority of his focus is spent on driving the seaglide~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they’re led through a forest of tall vine plants, where their guide pauses once to fight off one of those fish with the menacing teeth. After they get through the vines they arrive at the submarine, which has the word “Maria” printed on the side~

MAN:

~gestures for the Doctor to pilot the seaglide underneath of the ship~

DOCTOR:

~does what the man gestured for him to do, wondering if the fish actually posed a threat at all but not dwelling on the thought as he also wonders who Maria is or if it’s just what the man called his ship~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the bottom of the ship opens up and clawed arms come down and latch onto the seaglide, contracting and pulling the vessel up into a dock that easily allows them to exit to the main floor of the ship~

ALIA:

~gasps~ woah!

DOCTOR:

~opens the door once they’re inside, not seeming to trust his surroundings too much as he steps out of the seaglide and looks around himself~

ENVIRONMENT:

~straight ahead is the front of the submarine where the steering wheel is placed in front of a large glass window; behind them is another room where power cells are stored in its center~

MASTER & ALIA:

~follow the Doctor out of the seaglide~

MAN:

~walks in from the far end of the ship, presumably where another hatch was~ alright; let’s go find some reefbacks.

DOCTOR:

~nods, starting toward the front of the submarine~ so, what’s your name? Assuming you have one, of course. ~looks over at their guide as he speaks~

MAN:

Adam. ~smiles at the group, continuing to walk into the room with the controls for the submarine~ I don’t really have a last name, though.

ALIA:

~follows him in along with the Master, running up to his side, looking out the window eagerly~

ADAM:

~starts piloting the ship into deeper waters~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the sound of the reefbacks can be heard not too far away~

DOCTOR:

~follows and stops a bit further back from Adam, keeping an eye on him and Alia protectively as he looks out the large window~

MASTER:

~walks up beside the Doctor, taking his hand reassuringly~

ADAM:

~steers them slowly but surely forward and to the left~

ENVIRONMENT:

~soon, a reefback comes into sight, and as they get closer about three more of them come into view as well~

ALIA:

~looks back at the Master~ look, Father! Aren’t they beautiful?

MASTER:

~smiles~ that they are.

ALIA:

~smiles widely at the Master’s response~

DOCTOR:

~smiles as well at the interaction and the Master’s reassurance as he looks out at the reefbacks, not relaxing much but getting in a better mood~

MASTER:

~mentally asks the Doctor what’s troubling him~

ADAM:

~moves the submarine to pass under the massive creatures, close but not enough to risk colliding with them~

ALIA:

~her focus is completely locked on to the creatures, in admiration and wonder~

DOCTOR:

~responds that it’s just paranoia—nothing ever goes this well for this long, especially not around him~

MASTER:

~gives the Doctor a small kiss on the cheek, reminding the Doctor that he hasn’t tried to settle down in a long time and he can’t say the odds of it working out are the same as any other time things have gone their way~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, relaxing and letting himself be reassured, appreciating the beauty of the creatures outside, muttering to the Master~ you’re right… as usual.

MASTER:

~smiles widely, bringing his arm around the Doctor’s waist~

ADAM:

~brings the submarine back around, heading carefully through the vine forest and pointing out certain fish to Alia, identifying the small fish with the glowing circle to be a peeper, a word that Alia seems to enjoy a lot~

DOCTOR:

~drapes his own arm over the Master’s shoulders, marveling at what’s his—a family, soon a home, and infinite freedom and adventure supplied by his TARDIS~

ADAM:

~glances backwards at the Doctor as he pilots the submarine~ I can bring you back to your ship, if that’s all you’d like to see. There are quite a few more wonders in this ocean; further past the crashed ship I even found a floating island.

DOCTOR:

I don’t see any rush to get back to the TARDIS; we have all the time in this universe. ~looks at Alia and the Master in turn for approval of the decision~

ALIA:

~looks delighted~ oh, yes! Thank you Daddy!

MASTER:

~just smiles and leans into the Doctor slightly~

ADAM:

~nods happily, commenting~ we’ll have to steer clear of the ship, though—there’s a particularly hostile creature there—so it’s going to be a bit of a journey.

DOCTOR:

~grins happily~ that’s fine by me. ~pauses momentarily before speaking to Adam in a carefully inquisitive tone~ if you don’t mind me asking, Adam, is there someone waiting for you, back on a home planet?

ADAM:

~pauses for a moment, the bottom of the submarine grazing against a rock formation underneath them with his falter, apologizing~ sorry. No… I don’t have anyone. ~speaks sadly; adds after a moment of thought more happily~ I think I’ve grown more attached to Maria here more than anyone else. ~petting the wheel a bit~

DOCTOR:

~smiles sadly as well, looking at Adam~ I know this probably sounds rich coming from me right now, but I _do_ completely understand what you’re going through. ~thuogh his ship’s really sentient, he reasons that it’s the same enough~

ADAM:

~chuckles~ I’m happy though. It would be nice to have some company, yes, but all this exploring and shaping a life of my own really has been all I wanted for myself. ~shakes his head slightly~ not that I’m saying I’m glad our ship crashed, though… one thing just led to another.

DOCTOR:

~nods in understanding~ it always does… ~finds it odd how well Adam has taken being the only one, though he reminds himself that not everyone hates being alone, pushing the thought to the back of his mind~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they pass by the ship and a far-off, assumably very loud and scary roar comes from the direction of the wreckage~

ALIA:

~goes over to her parents in fear~

ADAM:

~glances back at her knowingly~ trust me, I’ll be very careful to stay out of its way. Wouldn’t want to come face to face with it ever again…

DOCTOR:

~wants to ask about the creature, figuring he’s quizzed poor Adam enough for now. Sets his free hand on Alia’s shoulder reassuringly when she runs over, smiling~

ALIA:

~she clings to the Doctor’s trench coat, hiding in between the other two Timelords until they’ve left the crashed ship behind them~

ADAM:

~brings them up to the surface, sailing straight on through the water, with no land in sight currently~

DOCTOR:

So, a floating island… geographically impossible without a force other than surface tension keeping it up… ~is really just thinking aloud now that they’re past the danger~

ADAM:

~smirks~ oh, you’ll see.

ALIA:

~inches away from the Doctor after a moment, running back up to the front window and looking out in anticipation~

ENVIRONMENT:

~a small formation of land gradually comes into sight, with a mountain and a forest of luminescent trees~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles, speaking in a joking tone~ hey, Master, it’s another forest that doesn’t get dark! ~looks at the island as if analyzing it, trying to figure out how it works as they get closer~

MASTER:

~rolls his eyes slightly; after a moment he asks in confusion~ another?

ADAM:

~approaches the island, and submerges the ship, heading down underneath the clearly floating island where spiraled formations of rock come down from above~

ALIA:

~comments~ woah…

ADAM:

~steers them through the underside of the island~

ENVIRONMENT:

~almost immediately a few large, pink, bulbous and phosphorescent creatures come into view, squished up against the ceiling that is the island~

DOCTOR:

Oh, right… sorry. ~looks at the odd pink creatures in wonder, trying to comprehend _how_ the island is, in fact, floating~

ADAM:

They’re floaters. Huge ones. ~speaks as he carefully maneuvers past one, coming to the center of the island where one massive “floater” is~ they gravitate strongly toward the closest object. They’re the ones holding this entire island afloat. ~explains it proudly~

DOCTOR:

~nods in understanding, looking at the huge creatures and spiraled rock formations~ and you chose this place all by yourself without even knowing it, Alia! ~smiles, turning his focus to his daughter~

ALIA:

~bubbles with excitement, spinning around once as a flourish~ yeah! ~runs back over to the Doctor and the Master, wrapping her arms around them both in a hug~

MASTER:

~reaches to bring his arm around her, smiling warmly~

DOCTOR:

~reaches down to hug Alia back as well, chuckling lightheartedly at the child’s excitement and energy~

ENVIRONMENT:

~something collides with the front window~

ADAM:

~curses under his breath~

ALIA:

~turns around to look at the smaller pink thing that’s stuck to the window without moving out of her parents’ arms, giggling~

DOCTOR:

Can they do damage? ~sounds more casually curious than worried as he looks at the little floater, speaking to Adam~ or are they simply a nuisance when stuck to your window?

ADAM:

They don’t hurt anybody, no. But they’re practically impossible to get rid of once they’re stuck to something. ~grumbles in response, stopping the ship and looking back at the Timelords~ actually, I’ll want to get it off before more of them start coming. Unless you want to take a look around the island, we might want to head back.

DOCTOR:

I guess it’s a good time to head back, then. Thanks for showing us around a bit, it was quite nice. ~smiles thankfully, knowing how difficult it is to maneuver a TARDIS through water as he has tried—though technically you’re not supposed to anyway~

ADAM:

Oh, you’re welcome. I enjoyed it too. ~he smiles as he turns the ship back around, heading back and eventually arriving at the TARDIS again without interruption~

DOCTOR:

Well, it was nice meeting you, Adam. Best of luck in shaping your own life. ~speaks once they get to the TARDIS, seeming thoughtful~ so, how do we exit?

ADAM:

You too, Doctor. ~orients the submarine before stepping away from the wheel, heading to the opposite end of the ship~ just follow me, I’ve situated the exit hatch inside that air bubble.

ALIA:

~breaks away from her parents, running to catch up to Adam~

DOCTOR:

~nods to acknowledge Adam’s statement, striding to follow Adam as well, his arm sliding off of the Master’s shoulders~

MASTER:

~lets the Doctor’s arm fall, walking behind him absentmindedly~

ADAM:

~leads them down a sideways staircase to a lower level, where they walk back along the length of the ship and can see the seaglide docked above them, reaching a hatch in the floor at the far end~ this is the exit. ~gestures to it~

DOCTOR:

Alright then. Thanks again! ~smiles over at Adam in farewell before walking over to open the hatch, glancing up at the seaglide as he does so~

ADAM:

No problem. ~smiles~

ALIA:

~waves to Adam~ bye! ~before she climbs down into the opened hatch first~

MASTER:

~nods to Adam in farewell as he follows after~

DOCTOR:

~goes down out of the ship last, closing the hatch behind him and looking over at Alia~ well, that was an unexpected but nice little adventure, wasn’t it?

ALIA:

~she grins~ it was _amazing!_

ADAM:

~slowly steers the submarine away, sounding a boat horn after he’s a good distance away in farewell~

ALIA:

~smiles wider and runs back up to the TARDIS expectantly~ where now, where now?


	23. Home

DOCTOR:

Well, considering recent conversations… perhaps Earth? ~looks over at the Master, it being clear that he’s asking if they should go get a house and possibly jobs now~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly and nods at the Doctor in confirmation~

ALIA:

~seems happy about it~ with humans and everything!?

DOCTOR:

~smiles excitedly~ yes. Humans and their holidays and celebrities and governments and politics and birthdays. ~opens the TARDIS doors flamboyantly, still happily describing Earth as he goes up to the console~ with their stereotypes, songs, imaginary divisions, and cake with edible decorations—don’t eat candles, though, I learned that the hard way.

ALIA:

~nods gravely~

MASTER:

~chuckles, rolling his eyes as he follows the Doctor and Alia inside, making a mental contribution of the fact that they also seem to like to keep everything on a leash, oh, and it’s surprisingly easy to access that sort of thing for other purposes, too~

DOCTOR:

~smiles knowingly, glancing up at the Master as he puts in coordinates he knows well enough that he doesn’t really need to look at the keyboard—the rift in Cardiff. Looks to Alia after he’s set the coordinates~ do you want to pull the takeoff lever?

ALIA:

Yes, yes! ~jumps up to reach it, pulling the lever down and running around after the Doctor to carefully watch his movements~

MASTER:

~closes the door and goes up to the console, staying out of the way of the other two and watching them in amusement~

DOCTOR:

~flies the TARDIS with his usual unnecessary amount of energy, stopping when they land~ Cardiff Bay, Wales, home of one of the few rifts in space-time. Which is handy because it can charge the TARDIS but a bit of a problem when other things fall through.

ALIA:

~eagerly runs up to the TARDIS, flinging the doors open and looking around at the people walking by, scrunching up her nose~ they smell weird.

MASTER:

~chuckles and looks over at the Doctor, asking what they’re doing in Cardiff~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles at Alia’s response, telling the Master that they hadn’t really chosen a place yet and it’s been a rather long time since the TARDIS recharged—especially considering the fact that GLaDOS has put her through as much as She put them through, speaking to Alia~ word from the wise; don’t tell them that, they’re sensitive.

ALIA:

Oh; okay. ~nods carefully, stepping out of the TARDIS and looking around, then going over to a random stranger and hugging them while introducing herself~ hi human! I’m Alia.

DOCTOR:

~runs over to Alia and the stranger, having not expected Alia to do this, smiling apologetically at the stranger~ sorry; I’m the Doctor, my daughter’s just a bit excited to be here. Alia, let the nice person go. ~sounds persuasive rather than scolding~

STRANGER:

~steps back as Alia lets him go, giving a small nervous chuckle~ it’s quite alright. ~he nods to the Doctor and keeps walking~

ALIA:

~looks over at the Doctor in confusion~

MASTER:

~comes over to them from the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

Alia, people don’t usually want to be spontaneously hugged by someone they don’t know—in fact, they tend to keep to themselves unless they need something or are in a bad situation. ~smiles as he explains to make it clear Alia isn’t at fault—as she really couldn’t have known better~

ALIA:

~she smiles back, nodding dutifully~ right.

MASTER:

~comes up behind the Doctor, bringing his arms around the Doctor’s waist in a hug~

ALIA:

~looks around at the people walking by and her other surroundings, obviously making a conscious effort to stay in one spot~

DOCTOR:

~his smile widens at the contact, speaking after a second~ so, who wants to go choose a house? ~is mentally trying to map out how they’ll pay for it as there’s no way he’s getting a mortgage if he can avoid it—maybe UNIT would be willing to pay him as they are all paid for what they do and he’s more helpful and efficient than all of them put together~

ALIA:

Me! ~calls out excitedly at the mention of a house, turning to the Doctor~

MASTER:

~comments whimsically~ we could start out with a nice flat somewhere in London, and go from there… Cardiff’s boring, if you ask me.

DOCTOR:

Agreed. Though, it is where Torchwood is stationed, but that’s beside the point. So, all we need to do is find somewhere nice and up for sale or rent or whatever. Shouldn’t be too hard.

ALIA:

Let’s go! ~grins and runs back to the TARDIS, waiting for her parents impatiently~

MASTER:

~lets go of the Doctor and walks casually back to the TARDIS~

TARDIS:

~the ship seems to be in a bit of a sullied mood~

DOCTOR:

~looks at the TARDIS as he approaches her, his eyes furrowed in confusion~ what’s wrong, old girl? ~slides his hand along her door as he enters the TARDIS in affectionate concern~

TARDIS:

~as the other Timelords follow the Doctor inside she replies that she’s concerned she might become neglected now; however much she’s happy for the Doctor she’s still worried about what looks like a lack of adventuring in their future~

DOCTOR:

~smiles and reassures the TARDIS~ oh, don’t think for a second I’d forget who’s always been there—sure, there may be less careless bouncing about the stars and we might have to leave to do jobs and things but I don’t intend to stay on one planet in one time the entirety of Alia’s childhood—heck, I probably won’t last a day. ~sets coordinates for London~

ALIA:

~looks confused for a moment before understanding who the Doctor’s talking to~

TARDIS:

~her mood seems to have improved greatly with the Doctor’s reassurance~

ALIA:

~glances at the monitor, then goes over to the takeoff lever and pulls it dutifully~

DOCTOR:

~flies the TARDIS happily, for once actually feeling like he’s “the winner” as he flies to his new home with his family, almost moved to the point of tears though he doesn’t show it beyond an ecstatic grin~

MASTER:

~smiles at the Doctor’s happy mood, helping him fly the TARDIS until they land~

ALIA:

~runs over and opens the doors, looking around eagerly~ lots of house!

DOCTOR:

Yes. People do own most of them, though, we’ll have to look for one that’s up for sale or rent—it’ll have a sign that says so. ~walks up to the doors of the TARDIS~

ENVIRONMENT:

~they’ve landed on the right side of a neighborhood with tightly packed, two-story apartment buildings. A few of the properties have “to let” signs on them, and the street isn’t too busy~

MASTER:

~comes up behind the Doctor~ this looks nice.

DOCTOR:

Yes, it ceritanly does. Shall we go choose one and see what they want as payments? ~steps out of the TARDIS, looking around at the neighborhood~

MASTER:

Sure. ~smiles and steps out after the Doctor, quickly followed by Alia~

ALIA:

~runs up to the closest rental sign, staring at the words on it intently~

DOCTOR:

Alright, so, where should we start? ~walks toward Alia to keep her in sight, thinking that all of the houses look almost the same from the outside~

ALIA:

Here! ~calls out, batting at the sign to gesture to it~

MASTER:

~shrugs, walking up to the front door of the flat which reads “146” as the house number~ it’s as good a place as any.

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master, seeing the numbers and faltering, seeming almost panicked for a second before managing to continue to the door uncomfortably~

ALIA:

What is it, Daddy? ~looks concerned as she follows beside the Doctor~

MASTER:

~knocks hesitantly on the door a few times, waiting until an older woman opens the door~

WOMAN:

Well hello there, gentlemen! Are you here to look at the flat?

DOCTOR:

Yes ma’am. ~answers the woman at the door before muttering reassuringly to his daughter~ it’s nothing, Alia, I’m fine.

WOMAN:

Oh, come in then, I’ll show you around. ~she opens the door further and steps aside, smiling as the Master and Alia walk in~

ENVIRONMENT:

~to the right is a hallway that leads to a kitchen, and straight ahead is a staircase~

WOMAN:

Will you be needing one or two bedrooms?

DOCTOR:

~walks in as well, thinking through the question, knowing they could easily get by with one room but if they really want to live here for any length of time they might want Alia to have a separate room~ two…

WOMAN:

~closes the door behind them~ then here’s the place for you! I’ve got another one for sale down the road with just one bedroom.

ALIA:

~walks around, peering up the stairs then running into the kitchen in astonishment~

WOMAN:

~chuckles~ seems like the little one fancies it.

DOCTOR:

Yes. She ran directly to this one… ~stops himself from adding something, though he’s thinking through the chances of this being a coincidence, given the fact that Timelords can sense more than humans even at a young age, and the TARDIS always lands closer to where he has to be then where he might want to be~

MASTER:

~doesn’t seem worried, telling the Doctor that he shouldn’t be so paranoid~

WOMAN:

~follows Alia into the kitchen, showing that to the left of the kitchen is a living room, explaining the features of the kitchen and other details~

DOCTOR:

~apologizes to the Master mentally, adding that it _is_ quite the coincidence but he’ll get over it. Acknowledges the woman’s explanation, smiling and nodding and looking at the features of the rooms as she talks about them~

WOMAN:

~leads them upstairs next~

ALIA:

~bolts past her up the stairs, eagerly exploring the two bedrooms, bathroom, and the small closer that make up the second floor~

DOCTOR:

~looks around himself at the nice little home, getting more comfortable as he walks along and listens to what the woman has to say about the rooms~

WOMAN:

~she shows the two bedrooms, both of them smaller than the Doctor’s room on the TARDIS with a double bed in one and a twin bed in the other. Once the woman finishes presenting the house she comments~ now, rent would be about £850 per month, with water, electric and cable included.

DOCTOR:

Well, I’m sure we can cover that. What do you think? ~turns to the Master, the question mostly directed at him though he’d consider Alia’s input as well~

MASTER:

~seems a little distracted, looking about the room for Alia~ yeah; sounds fine.

ALIA:

~peeks out from inside the hall closet as the Master looks in her direction, giggling~

DOCTOR:

~chuckles lightheartedly before turning to the woman~ alright then! Is there paperwork or anything we have to do now, or…?

WOMAN:

You’ll take it, then? ~she seems delighted~ wonderful! Yes, there is some required paperwork, contracts and such; I’ve got some of it downstairs, but the rest will take a few days to get ahold of. ~starts down the stairs and to the kitchen, setting a packet of papers on the table that ask for names, credentials, other ID verifications and such~

DOCTOR:

~follows the woman to look at the papers, realizing none of them have proper human identities—unless Harold Saxon counts—thinking he might have to forge some documents for this to work~ so, do I fill this out here, or can I get back to you with it?

WOMAN:

Oh, certainly, do take your time. Though, if you could get them back by tomorrow, I’d appreciate it.

MASTER:

~comes down the stairs after managing to collect Alia~

DOCTOR:

That shouldn’t be a problem… sorry, I don’t believe we even went through introductions. You can call me the Doctor. That’s the Master and Alia. ~gestures to his family members in turn before picking up the packet, smiling in a friendly way~

WOMAN:

Oh ~gives the impression that she hadn’t expected that but doesn’t think too much of it~ it’s nice meeting you. I’m Mrs. Kingsley, as you probably guessed, the landlady. ~she smiles back~

ALIA:

~bolts out the door~

MASTER:

~helplessly trails after her to make sure she doesn’t do anything reckless~

DOCTOR:

Nice meeting you as well, Mrs. Kingsley. ~laughs lightly when Alia and the Master run off~ I’d better go after those two; see you tomorrow. ~waves slightly and leaves the house, closing the door behind him and glancing around immediately to locate the Master and Alia~

MASTER:

~scoops Alia up and stops her from running across the street, scolding her briefly before tentatively setting her back down~

ALIA:

~runs up to the Doctor~

MASTER:

~follows at a walk, mentally joking “maybe we should have _her_ on a leash.”~

DOCTOR:

~strides to scoop Alia up, using her momentum and his own as he spins her around once and holds her, chuckling at the Master’s comment but mentally making it clear he wouldn’t approve of actually putting Alia on a leash, the paperwork for the house still in his hand as he holds Alia~

ALIA:

~laughs in amusement at being spun around~

MASTER:

~smiles as he reaches the Doctor and Alia~ here, ~takes the paperwork from the Doctor so that it doesn’t get crumpled, starting towards the TARDIS~ I presume we’ll need identities and citizenship, yes?

DOCTOR:

Yes. ~follows the Master, carrying Alia~ shouldn’t be a problem, it’s scarily easy to make a new identity given a computer and some knowledge… if we want to keep our names, we could make it look like we had them legally changed. I have some governmental ties that we could use if we have much issue with any legal matters.

MASTER:

~chuckles, opening the doors and walking into the TARDIS~ I should still have an identity for Harold Saxon in the database… though, it might not be smart to use it at this point. ~glances over at the Doctor, then at the paperwork~ the name thing sounds like a good idea; we’d told the landlady our real names and it’d be suspicious if the papers we write up say something different.

DOCTOR:

Yeah, you might not want to be recognized as the vanished third-party Prime Minister… I don’t doubt that news would hit the people who were on the Valiant during the rewind. ~sets Alia down and closes the door behind him~

ALIA:

~looks up at the Doctor curiously once she’s on her feet~ what do you mean, Daddy?

DOCTOR:

~realizes his mistake, having forgotten that Alia doesn’t know, turning to her~ just something that happened a long time ago, Alia, it doesn’t matter. ~looks back to the Master~ anyways, exactly how many certificates and documents do we need to forge?

MASTER:

~leafs through the papers, doing mental calculations, eventually looking up to respond~ six. Or seven, just to play it safe. They’ll be looking for a bank account either way. ~mentally explains that the extra document could be a certificate of marriage, remaining as casual as possible~

DOCTOR:

~maintaining a casual tone, asks how “forged” the Certificate of Marriage has to be~ alrighty then, all I need in order to forge the documents is a simple computer and some time. What else will we need… you said bank accounts are necessary; we should get some sort of legal identification, too…

MASTER:

~blushing, hands the pamphlet back over to the Doctor~ if you don’t mind, I could keep Alia occupied while you see to the forged documents. We don’t want her running around the TARDIS unsupervised. ~chuckles lightly, and a little nervously~

DOCTOR:

~smiles, trying to think of where in the TARDIS he has a simple computer and printer~ I don’t mind at all. ~glances around himself to check where their daughter is currently~

TARDIS:

~offers to bring an office area over to the door straight across from the console room~

ALIA:

~has been waiting behind the Doctor patiently~

MASTER:

Thanks, ~responds, going over to the console~

ALIA:

~follows after him quickly, interested as soon as she realizes the Master intends to have the TARDIS take off~

DOCTOR:

~realizes that the Master hasn’t been touching—let alone flying—the TARDIS much recently as he accepts the TARDIS’ offer, walking towards the doorway to the hallway~ you’ll know where to find me if you need me. ~finds that part of his mind does still distrust the Master, though he conceals the thought from him, disregarding the feeling~

MASTER:

~smiles and nods to the Doctor as he puts the TARDIS into flight, explaining little things to Alia as he handles the controls~

ALIA:

~seems to enjoy the learning opportunity~

~•~

DOCTOR:

~comes out of the room with all the papers and documents in hand, the only spaces that aren’t filled out being where the Master has to fill his name, looking into the console room at the monitor first to see where they are~

MASTER:

~opens the doors, Alia following after, having known the Doctor as almost finished and started a return trip; asks with a smile~ how’d it go?

ENVIRONMENT:

~the monitor is set to its normal screen, not showing what’s outside~

ALIA:

~seems to have enjoyed whatever it was they did~

DOCTOR:

Relatively boring, honestly, but everything’s filled out except for places where you have to sign it. ~smiles back at the Master as he speaks in a lighthearted tone~ so what did you two do? I’m sure it was far more fun that forging documents.

MASTER:

~walks up to the Doctor, asking for the papers and something to sign with~ I took her to see a show; not on earth, though. So more impressive. No offense to humans… ~shakes his head slightly~ we left early, anyways.

DOCTOR:

~hands over the papers and fishes a pen out of his pocket to hand to the Master as well~ believe me, sometimes even I find humans agitating and thick… ~is remembering past encounters with mostly human soldiers that were too stupid to listen to him or come up with any clever ideas~

MASTER:

~takes them, glancing over the Doctor’s work appreciatively~

ALIA:

~spins around happily behind them~

MASTER:

~starting to sign a few of the papers until he falters suddenly, the pen slipping out of his hand. Looks around the console room, seeming briefly panicked and uncomfortable afterwards, going to pick the pen back up and continue signing papers~

DOCTOR:

~physically acts as if he didn’t notice for Alia, though mentally he does inquire about the Master’s well-being as it seemed almost as if the Master thought he heard something~

MASTER:

~looks up at the Doctor, obviously distressed as he goes over to the console, setting the papers and the pen down in between the controls~ It’s this time stream… it’s-

GLaDOS:

*Oh, look at that, there’s two of you. Five, technically, but you know what I mean. By the way, congratulations on the little one.* ~her voice is clearly not human~

DOCTOR:

~looks around the room, fear-stricken by the pure sound of GLaDOS. Soon looks infuriated with the AI and his tone reflects it~ what are you doing, you- ~notices Alia’s presence and cuts himself off~ you told me you’d stop. ~glances over at the Master almost accusingly though he’s more concerned than anything. Mentally asks the TARDIS where/when they are~

GLaDOS:

*I did? How interesting; I never thought it would come to that.*

ALIA:

~goes over and clings to the Doctor, not knowing what’s going on but knowing it’s not good~

MASTER:

~looks hurt by the Doctor’s accusing glance, putting completely different coordinates and time period into the monitor~

TARDIS:

~explains that they happen to have crossed back into GLaDOS’ timeline by accident~

DOCTOR:

Oh… ~sighs, relaxing a bit as he understands what’s going on, bringing an arm around Alia as he speaks to GLaDOS~ well then, rest assured, I still hate you. ~with a bitter but almost casual tone to his voice~

MASTER:

~goes to pull the takeoff lever but finds he can’t, looking upward and trying not to show his fear~

GLaDOS:

*Well, would you look at that? Seems I wasn’t true to my word; there’s still a connection here…*

MASTER:

~starts trying to find another way to take off, but the controls are locked~

GLaDOS:

*And, that would be all. See you soon, boys.*

MASTER:

~the controls work again, and he takes off with a relieved sigh~ I’m sorry…

DOCTOR:

It’s fine, you didn’t know. ~sounds shaken and worried, like he’s trying to convince himself as much as he’s trying to reassure the Master~

ALIA:

~pipes up in a voice of high-pitched worry~ Daddy, what’s going on? Who was that?

MASTER:

~pauses once the TARDIS is landed to recollect himself~

DOCTOR:

~looks down at Alia, for once not giving a smile of reassurance as he explains in a soft tone~ …that was GLaDOS. She’s… She’s a truly horrible person who runs a science lab called Aperture.

MASTER:

~nods in confirmation~

ALIA:

~lowers her voice to match the Doctor’s volume~ why’s she talking in the TARDIS? ~still sounding worried~

DOCTOR:

Because… ~hesitates to explain but he does continue~ there was a time, Alia, that She had control over the TARDIS… you see, the Master, the TARDIS and I got stuck in Aperture at one point. GLaDOS established—forced, really—a connection to the TARDIS to communicate with and control the Master and I.

MASTER:

~puts the TARDIS into a steady and quiet flight~

ALIA:

~clings tighter to the Doctor, speaking in determination through the Doctor’s trench coat~ we can’t let her do that!

DOCTOR:

Oh, no, it’s quite alright. The Master and I made Her nice, we just accidentally went back to the time when She was in control. ~looks at the Master with a slightly sickened expression~ but what did she mean by “seems I wasn’t true to my word” and “see you soon, boys”?

MASTER:

~landing the TARDIS, responds~ She was able to keep the TARDIS from taking off. Therefore, She didn’t disconnect the TARDIS as She said she would… ~doesn’t know what to make of the second part of the Doctor’s question; picks up the completed documents~

DOCTOR:

~the Master’s statement hits him, speaking almost in a whisper, as if he hadn’t even meant to speak aloud~ which means we’re not out… ~the words carry fear and dread and anger and defeat, especially because everyone can currently telepathically sense the Doctor’s emotion—Alia’s making physical contact~

ALIA:

~becomes distressed~

MASTER:

~walks up and shoves the documents toward him~ we have no reason to think anything will happen now just because we know it might. Now come on, ~looks down at Alia, smiling~ let’s finish what we started.

DOCTOR:

~takes the documents, swallowing and nodding~ right. ~giving a smile, lets the Master’s words reassure him—though not to the point where he’s not worried. Looks to the door to walk to it though he has to wait for Alia to detach herself from him~

ALIA:

~hesitantly lets go, realizing the Doctor wants to move again, and cheerily bounds over to the door~

MASTER:

~follows after, having landed the TARDIS outside of their selected flat~

DOCTOR:

~closes the door behind them all, carrying the documents~ so, is this the next day, or just a bit later? ~realizes he didn’t check the coordinates, starting towards the house as he has full faith that the Master didn’t get the time wrong~

MASTER:

The next day. ~walks up to the front door and knocks, hoping he did not, in fact, get the time wrong~

MRS. KINGSLEY:

Oh, hello again! ~greets them as she answers the door, inviting them in~ have you got all the information sorted out, then?

DOCTOR:

Yes, it’s all here. ~lifts the papers in his hand, offering them to the landlady as he walks in in acceptance of the invitation~

MRS. KINGSLEY:

Brilliant; thank you. ~she takes them and looks through them~

MASTER:

~closes the door behind him and Alia and asks the Doctor if he decided whether or not to forge a marriage certificate~

DOCTOR:

~responds that he did do so just to be safe—and he made sure the time period’s one in which that’s possible in the UK~ no problem.

MRS. KINGSLEY:

~smiles when she comes across the certificate, looking up and gesturing for them to follow her~ I’ve got a few other things to be signed in the kitchen; after you’ve given the down payment you should be clear to move in.

DOCTOR:

~feels in his pocket for all the extra cash he’s accumulated from his travels, hoping it’s enough for the down payment as it is a decent amount of cash~ sure thing. How much is the down payment, again? ~follows Mrs. Kingsley~

MRS. KINGSLEY:

~pauses thoughtfully~ £150 should be enough. ~takes out a smaller amount of more official-looking papers, including a contract for both the Doctor and the Master to sign, setting them on the table and providing a pen~

DOCTOR:

~skims the contract, seeing all the standard and expected items and nothing out of the ordinary, signing his chosen name where necessary before handing the pen to the Master~

MASTER:

~walks over, getting the idea that nothing about the contract is odd and signing his name beside the Doctor’s. Once he’s done what he needs to he quickly goes back to supervising Alia, seeing how she ran off last time~

DOCTOR:

~reaches in his pocket to count out the money he has in his pocket that doesn’t seem large enough to hold the money he’s counting, though it takes him a minute to get a reasonable combination of bills out of his pocket so he’s not handing Mrs. Kingsley a thick stack of ones and fives but rather a thinner one of th the needed amount of money and apologizing for having to rifle through his pockets~ sorry about that, here you go.

MRS. KINGSLEY:

Oh ~she chuckles, taking the offered payment~ it’s not a problem. ~double-checks the amount the Doctor’s given, nodding to him~ so, when are you planning to move in?

DOCTOR:

As soon as possible, I suppose. There’s not much “moving” to be done, honestly… ~trails off thoughtfully, though he’s really just trying to think of a reason why any human wouldn’t have any possessions to move in with~

MRS. KINGSLEY:

~looking surprised~ but, how could you not have anything to move in with? ~glancing at the money on top of the pile in confusion, finds a folder to put the papers in~

DOCTOR:

There was a fire… our other home burnt down and almost nothing survived… ~lets a sufficient amount of emotion into his voice as he’s not lying, though he makes sure not to overdo it as well~

ALIA:

~giggles~

MASTER:

~puts a hand over her mouth as Alia would’ve easily given away the Doctor’s half-truth~

MRS. KINGSLEY:

~looks briefly confused by Alia~ oh… I’m sorry to hear that. You’ll love it here, though, it’s a real nice neighborhood. ~puts two sets of keys on the table~ Anyway, sorry, I’ll be getting out of your way now, ta-ta! ~she takes the papers, walking out the door and waving~

DOCTOR:

~waves back at Mrs. Kingsley before closing the door behind her and turning to the Master and Alia~ so, what now?

MASTER:

~takes his hand off of Alia’s mouth~

ALIA:

~she starts running around excitedly~ is it ours now? We’ve got a house?

MASTER:

~chuckles, asking the Doctor if they should bring things in from the TARDIS or just make themselves at home for a while; perhaps they could show Alia around London~

DOCTOR:

~finds the last option his favorite as he’d been sitting at a computer for too long, considering how well he sits still at all~ yes, Alia, it’s all ours!

ALIA:

~makes a sound equivalent to that of a squee, rolling onto the couch in the living room for a moment before going back over to the Doctor and pointing into the kitchen~ what’s that room for?

DOCTOR:

~smiles happily at Alia’s excitement~ that’s for making food—oh, but you haven’t eaten yet, have you? Well, we’d have to go out to get food—the kitchen doesn’t make food materialize from nothing.

ALIA:

~instantly looks curious~

MASTER:

~chuckles~ shall we go out to get something then? ~mentally points out that Alia will probably need to eat/sleep more often than they do, considering she’s younger and growing~

DOCTOR:

~nods in acknowledgement of the Master’s mental statement~ sounds like a good idea. Should we go out to eat or should I just get stuff from the TARDIS kitchen?

ALIA:

The TARDIS has one too!? ~exclaims, bounding around her parents in excited figure-eights~

MASTER:

~responds~ I don’t see why we should go through the trouble of going out again.

DOCTOR:

It’s settled, then. ~turns and walks up to the door to open it and walk to the TARDIS, thinking through everything~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor out, Alia following close behind him~

ENVIRONMENT:

~the for-sale sign out front has been removed~

TARDIS:

~greets the Doctor, cheerful at first but then becoming cautious~

DOCTOR:

~the TARDIS’ caution reminds him of the threat Caroline imposes, asking the TARDIS about why she’s being cautious in case it’s something he doesn’t know as he opens the TARDIS door~

TARDIS:

~replies that she’s just worried about everyone’s safety due to the newly discovered danger~

MASTER:

~even he hesitates about walking inside as he knows Alia’s following them in~

DOCTOR:

I should have killed Her… ~the comment is hardly audible and not understandable at that as he mumbles the words all slurred together like it wasn’t even supposed to be uttered aloud as he walks through the console room, sliding his hand along the rim of the console as he passes it~

MASTER:

~walks closer to the Doctor, taking hold of Alia’s hand to make sure she stays close as well~

DOCTOR:

~turns into the hallway, not trying to break the tense silence as he normally would as every second they’re here they’re at risk of getting a surprise one-way ticket back to Hell~

MASTER:

~reaches out to the Doctor, offering his hand as they walk down the hallway; a physical link with all three of them will allow them to all communicate telepathically~

DOCTOR:

~makes his chaotically angered mind calm a bit before taking the Master’s hand so Alia doesn’t have to witness his fury and fear~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly, affectionately brushing his fingers across the Doctor’s hand~

ALIA:

~seems a bit troubled herself, worried for her parents and the TARDIS~

DOCTOR:

~the Master’s gesture brings a faint smile to his face as he takes the right turn and walks past the old bedroom just giving it a passing glance as it was the place the Master and him always went to escape the horrible reality of their situation~

MASTER:

~follows the Doctor’s gaze, wondering for the first time in what seems like multiple days about what else he’s forgotten, immediately stifling the curiosity though it lingers in his subconscious~

DOCTOR:

~just keeps walking, numb with emotion to the point where the Master’s curiosity hardly fazes him~

ALIA:

~nervously, hesitantly speaks up, her voice kept low~ um… can we… do we have to do this now?

DOCTOR:

We’re almost to the kitchen, Alia, we don’t have to eat here but you should eat something. ~his voice softens as he adds~ it’s going to be alright.

ALIA:

~seems effectively reassured by the Doctor’s words, her worry fading~ okay, Daddy.

MASTER:

~smiles slightly as it seems the Doctor’s reassurance helps him as well and he relaxes, a bit more at ease~

DOCTOR:

~sighs lightly, giving a smile as they approach the kitchen~ now, what should we have to eat, eh? ~knows Alia can’t have any clue what she wants as she’s never eaten before, trying to direct focus to what they came here to do~

ALIA:

~looks thoughtful for a moment, trying to picture what food is but deciding it’s best to just ask~ do you know what? ~she vaguely understands that her wording is a bit off~

DOCTOR:

~opesn the door to the kitchen with his free hand, smiling over at Alia as he curiously asks~ what? ~stepping inside so they can file in as the chain of Timelords they’ve made themselves~

ALIA:

What? ~echoes in a more confused tone~

MASTER:

~just chuckles, shaking his head as he follows the Doctor inside with Alia in tow~

DOCTOR:

You said “do you know what?” which is usually a rhetorical question—a question that’s not meant to be answered—followed by a statement. Or were you just asking what we should eat?

ALIA:

~smiles~ yeah, that’s it! ~she stops to look around the kitchen, noticing the fact that an empty bowl of soup is on the floor, with a spoon next to it~ why’s that there?

DOCTOR:

Uh—just ignore that, Alia, I forgot to clean it up from a previous time. ~lets go of the Master’s hand to pick up the bowl and spoon, left over soup residue and what was left of the crushed drug being all that remains of that whole incident. Puts the items in the sink, hoping they’ll be disregarded~

MASTER:

~lets go of Alia’s hand too as he falters, staring at the dishes in panic only the Doctor can sense~

ALIA:

Father? ~asks worriedly~

MASTER:

~smiles in reassurance~ I’m fine. ~but for once he doesn’t pretend to be fine for the Doctor, needing his help, as it seems his mental wall has finally broken down from constantly being weakened and pried at~

DOCTOR:

~his eyes widen and he whips around to face the Master, closing his eyes to focus on his telepathic presence, using the bond as a bridge once again to get inside the Master’s head and try desperately to push the memories back and lock them away from the Master, stopping himself from uttering anything aloud~

MASTER:

~tries his best to offer no resistance~

MENTAL:

~something else is in the Master’s mind, putting up a sort of tug-of-war fight with the Doctor. It prevents the Doctor from locking away the memories, but in turn the Doctor prevents it from allowing the Master to have them~

DOCTOR:

~furrows his eyebrows, guessing this extra force has something to do with the Master’s want for Aperture, mentally asking the Master if he’s alright as he makes sure he’s stopped the memories, at least for now~

MASTER:

~replies in hesitant affirmation, taking it back as the extra force pries the Doctor’s telepathic link away and causes the Master to panic again as the memories easily start returning, without the Doctor to hold them at bay~

DOCTOR:

No… ~tries to get back into the Master’s thoughts, clawing at the barrier made by that damned force, opening his eyes to stride over to the other Timelord and bring his hands to either side of the Master’s head, touching their foreheads together to try to get a stronger telepathic link~

MASTER:

~brings his arms around the Doctor as the link is reestablished, having already remembered a decent chunk of what he had forgotten by the time the Doctor is able to help again, but the rest of it is successfully held back~

MENTAL:

~the force seems to give up after this, leaving the Master’s mind~

DOCTOR:

~once the force leaves, he knows the force wasn’t just the Master and his memories, the very thought making his stomach churn, not touching the Master’s new memories as he has no right to them and he knows the Master didn’t want him to know them~

MASTER:

~fixes their telepathic link as soon as he’s able to, pulling away from the Doctor’s hands and resting his head on the Doctor’s shoulder instead, holding him close and thanking him~

ALIA:

~after a moment she tugs gently on the Doctor’s trench coat, speaking quietly~ Daddy? Father?

DOCTOR:

~wraps his arms around the Master~ I-it’s okay, Alia… ~curses himself for not keeping his voice steady and doing so when he adds~ it’s going to be okay… ~hanging on his own words~

MASTER:

~steps back after a moment, looking down at Alia and then back up at the Doctor~ let’s just grab what we came here for and… get back home.

DOCTOR:

~nods, letting the Master go and going up to the cupboards and fridge, using his bigger-on-the-inside pockets to his advantage as he doesn’t want to have to do this again. Once he’s grabbed what he deems sufficient he turns to walk out of the room~

MASTER:

~follows quickly after the Doctor, pulling Alia along with him and maintaining a fast walking pace, feeling like he’d prefer to run but that he should remain composed~

DOCTOR:

~strides down the hall, not eager to stay either despite his worry for his TARDIS~

MASTER:

~repeatedly reinforces a protective mental blockade for himself as they make their way to the console room, keeping his thoughts shielded from everyone but the Doctor, whose connection he provides extra protection for~

DOCTOR:

~realizing what the Master’s doing, blocks his mind as well—though not from the Master, of course—as he realizes She could use the link to Her advantage~

MASTER:

~doesn’t let his guard down until they’re out of the TARDIS, taking down his mental shields and sighing in relief; feels a little telepathically worn-out from all this shielding and memory-blocking~

DOCTOR:

~closes the doors behind him, relaxing a bit~ now then… is everyone alright? ~speaks as he starts walking at a casual pace towards the house though he’s clearly shaken by recent events~

ALIA:

Yep! ~responds, pulling away from the Master and bounding up to the front door of the house~

MASTER:

~walks beside the Doctor, his gaze fixed on the ground as he thinks through what he’s remembered~

DOCTOR:

~opens the door once they reach it, wondering exactly how much the Master remembers but deciding not to ask, bringing the food to the kitchen counter~

MASTER:

~nearly trips over the doorstep when he follows the Doctor and Alia inside, seeming noticeably more absentminded as he closes the door and goes into the kitchen to lean on a nearby wall~

ALIA:

~follows the Doctor closely, looking at the food in interest~ what’ve you got, Daddy?

DOCTOR:

~puts some things in the fridge as he speaks~ I have a sort of noodles, bananas and celery—I have an abundance of them, so I thought I’d bring some in. I also brought a couple different sorts of meat, mainly for your father, and cheese and crackers if you ever just want a snack. ~knows some more simple things he would have brought if they hadn’t been in a rush, shrugging it off~

MASTER:

~rolls his eyes and comments softly from where he stands~ hopeless.

ALIA:

~looks over the food that’s left out, picking up a banana and trying to figure out what she’s meant to do with it~

DOCTOR:

No, Master, all too hopeful. ~helps Alia opens the banana, showing her how to peel it so she is still holding the peel, taking the very top portion of the banana off with his hand and eating it with a playful smile towards Alia, his thoughts more reserved than usual~

MASTER:

I’m talking about you and your reluctance to actually cook anything. ~shrugs slightly, looking down at his feet and putting his hands in his pockets~

ALIA:

~watches the Doctor closely, then takes a thoughtful bite of the banana, seeming to enjoy it and taking another bite~

DOCTOR:

~sighs in exasperation, looking over at the Master~ Well I’m sorry, it’s not like we were in a rush when I was grabbing things. Besides, we both know how little I needed that skill until now.

MASTER:

~doesn’t respond, continuing to look down at the floor in absent thought, and after a moment, a devious grin spreading across his face~

DOCTOR:

~the Master awakens a bit of fear in him, not the fear of loss or the fear of Her anymore, though; a more instinctive fear that seems to be a direct result of the Master’s expression. He doesn’t realize it at first but his eyes have locked onto the Master~

MASTER:

~his grin lessens to a smirk as he looks up and meets the Doctor’s gaze almost challengingly. Tips his head to the side slightly as he points out that the Doctor’s tone was rather bold of him, considering~

DOCTOR:

~considering what? They’re all equals here and it’s not like he’s in any worse of a position than he usually is. Curiously meets the Master’s gaze, letting his thoughts be clear to the other Timelord~

MASTER:

~chuckles quietly to himself in amusement at that, stepping away from the wall and walking off at a leisurely pace to head upstairs~

ALIA:

~tugs at the Doctor’s trench coat to get his attention, looking up at him while she tries to eat the banana peel with distaste~

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head quickly as if to snap himself out of a trance, looking down at Alia and smiling~ oh, no, you’re not supposed to eat that. ~chuckles, taking the banana peel from his daughter and throwing it into the rubbish bin~ it’s not going to hurt you if you did swallow any, though.

ALIA:

Oh ~she laughs~ okay, Daddy! ~looks over at the edge of the counter at the rest of the bananas, smiling up at the Doctor~ can I have another?

DOCTOR:

Sure! ~takes a banana off the bunch, handing it to Alia~ my more recent regenerations have taken quite a liking to bananas, can’t be sure why… I remember, I once partied with the uncrowned queen of France and I introduced the French to that exotic fruit. ~leans casually against the counter~ she fancied me, Madame Antoinette Poisson—or Madame De Pompadour, as some refer to her as.

ALIA:

~pries at the banana in an imitation of what she had seen the Doctor do, eventually managing to peel it and start eating~ but what about Father?

DOCTOR:

He wasn’t there at the time; we didn’t always travel together, the Master and I. ~looks over at Alia, thinking before choosing his next statement~ we could have been considered enemies back then.

ALIA:

But that’s all fixed now; right? ~Looks up at the Doctor expectantly, chewing her banana~

DOCTOR:

Oh of course. We’ve both long forgiven all of that… ~spaces out in thought for a minute before coming back to attention~ everyone makes mistakes, it’s always just a question of how much you’ll forgive and how many chances you’ll give someone.

ALIA:

Right. So… ~thoughtfully pauses, taking another bite of her banana~ how many times should you forgive someone, Daddy?

DOCTOR:

~thinks for a second about the question before answering~ depends on what they did and whether they’re entirely at fault… and how much you’re willing to lose for them.

ALIA:

~nods in agreement, finishing up her banana and looking about the room~ where’s father gone?

DOCTOR:

Probably to bed. That’s all that was up there, right? ~throws the other peel out~ I should probably sleep as well, it’s been so long since I last slept—I’ll be sure you’re comfortable in bed first, of course.

ALIA:

Okay. ~smiles and bounds over to the stairs, scaling the steps eagerly and waiting in the upstairs hallway for the Doctor~

DOCTOR:

~follows easily, taking Alia to the room with the smaller twin bed as he assumes the Master went to the other, not knowing what to expect from his old friend and more recent significant other~

ALIA:

~she inspects the room briefly, as she had already done it before, then jumps onto the bed and lays back, staring out the window to her right at the darkening sky~ good night, Daddy. ~she murmurs softly, curling up and closing her eyes~

DOCTOR:

Goodnight, Alia. ~turns out the room’s light before leaving it, leaving the door open a crack and walking to the other bedroom, not knowing what awaits him~

MASTER:

~in the other bedroom he is lying on the right side of the bed, with his arms behind his head as he stares up at the ceiling, looking a little melancholy. He looks over at the Doctor when he comes in, and sits up silently, meeting the other Timelord’s gaze~

DOCTOR:

~closes the door behind him as he walks in, meeting the Master’s gaze with a curious look, wanting to know the meaning behind the Master’s odd behavior~

MASTER:

Odd? ~smiles slightly, inviting the Doctor to the bed but losing the smile and dropping his gaze before he speaks again~ I’m just trying to figure things out.

DOCTOR:

~walks over and sits next to the Master, seeming almost comforted by the Master’s statement, asking hesitantly~ what do you remember? ~as he wants to know but he doesn’t want to tempt the remaining memories~

MASTER:

W-well, I remember… ~his voice is thick and he has to close his eyes for a moment before continuing with an unsteady sigh~ I remember what happened in relation to that bowl on the floor, to start…. And… about a bit more of what I did when I ran off to Aperture in Tav that one time. ~seems like he wants to say more, but holds himself back~

DOCTOR:

~brings his arm around the Master comfortingly, knowing some of what the Master may have remembered and knowing it’s not all bad but it’s almost certainly not even half good~

MASTER:

~leans into the Doctor, bringing a hand up to his face as he speaks in hushed tones~ it was… I… I had _fun…_ why? ~brings his other hand up, holding his head~ and the drums…

DOCTOR:

~calmly tries to comfort the Master as part of him expected this, the mention of the drums taking him off-guard as the damned noise hadn’t been a large issue~

MASTER:

They aren’t quiet anymore. ~his voice is less hushed; finds the Doctor’s silence a bit unnerving, bringing his hands down from his head and staring at the sheets blankly, tears in his eyes~

DOCTOR:

It’s okay, Master… I know you don’t want me to take them—though I’d do so willingly—but I can try to bring them down if you’ll open them to me. ~his voice carries cautious worry, almost seeming desperate for one thing he can actually help~

MASTER:

Do you think that would help? ~sighs lightly~ it seems that whenever you bring them down, they end up coming back worse.

DOCTOR:

Then let me take them? Just for a short while; I’ll let you take them back whenever you want. You have enough to deal with right now.

MASTER:

~hesitates~ …okay. ~slowly opens up the beat of four to the Doctor, speaking as he does so~ do you think we could transfer them to something else? Maybe an animal… so that neither of us has to have them?

DOCTOR:

I hadn’t thought of that… ~takes in the drumbeat, instantly noticing its increased volume as he pulls it into his mind and blocks the noise from the Master~ though I pity the beast if we manage to do so. The mind of the animal would have to be large enough to contain them, and even then the drums were transmitted from a White Point star through the time vortex by Rassilon—you can’t get much more Timelord than that.

MASTER:

~becomes noticeably more relaxed, giving a small smile~ it was just a thought. ~looks over at the Doctor, bringing his own arm around the Doctor’s waist~ where’s Alia?

DOCTOR:

In the other bedroom, going to sleep if she’s not asleep already. ~smiles slightly~ she’s happy as ever.

MASTER:

That’s good. ~smiles a bit wider, reaching over to pull the Doctor’s trench coat off of his shoulders, then hanging it on the closest bedpost~

DOCTOR:

~automatically lets his trench coat come off and brings a hand up to take off his tie before realizing he doesn’t have one on and letting his hand drop back to his side~

MASTER:

~takes off his own tie, then comes forward and grabs the Doctor by his leash, kissing him as he pushes the other Timelord down to meet the bed, less rough than he usually is~

DOCTOR:

~kisses the Master back softly, finding the gentleness of the Master’s actions soothing as he brings his arms up and around the Master, letting his eyes flit closed~

MASTER:

~smiles slightly around the kiss, finding himself happy about their situation despite recent events involving Aperture. Breaks the kiss and casually unbuttons the Doctor’s suit jacket, leaving it open because he can’t remove it while the Doctor’s lying down~

DOCTOR:

~is relieved by the Master’s content happiness, smiling up at him. Lets his hands slide to either side of the Master’s waist, his relief covering the still-lingering fear of Her taking all this away from him though he doesn’t try to hide either~

MASTER:

~brings himself closer to the Doctor, pulling apart just a few of the buttons on the Doctor’s shirt~ so, do you think we’ll fall into a proper sleep schedule? It’d be much healthier than what we’ve been doing. ~starts affectionately kissing at the Doctor’s neck~

DOCTOR:

Another thing I never had to care about… ~speaks his thoughts out loud as there’s no reason not to, tilting his head back a bit to allow the Master to access his neck fully, bringing a hand up to run through the Master’s bleach blonde hair~ though I’m certainly not complaining.

MASTER:

~slips his hands under the Doctor’s shirt, feeling around the Doctor’s collar as he chuckles softly~ there’s the issue of income as well. Would you be able—or willing—to go back into practice? ~nibbles playfully on the Doctor’s ear, speaking quietly since he’s so close~

DOCTOR:

~takes a second to process the question and answer~ probably. ~matches the Master’s tone, letting out a light, happy sigh at the Master’s actions, it taking a good amount of effort to focus enough to elaborate on his answer~ I should be more than sufficient at most Earth jobs by now, the question being whether anyone but UNIT and the army would actually commit to paying me, a man who seems to have no college education or past experience whatsoever.

MASTER:

I’m sure you could do something to prove your education and experience. ~finds himself instinctively avoiding using the word “test” as soon as he considers it, opening the Doctor’s shirt further and brushing his hands down the Doctor’s chest~

DOCTOR:

You’re probably right. ~brings his hand down from the top of the Master’s head and around to caress the other Timelord’s jawline and rest on the side of his neck~

MASTER:

~gently leans down and places his lips on the Doctor’s, his eyes closing as he kisses the other Timelord slowly and passionately, his hands drifting up and through the Doctors’ hair carefully~

DOCTOR:

~gives a light hum as he kisses the Master back, matching his passion and, after a second, his pace, letting his hands slowly trace the contours of the Master’s torso~

MASTER:

~probes his tongue into the Doctor’s mouth, pausing briefly for breath before meeting the Doctor again to continue. After unbuttoning the rest of the Doctor’s shirt, his hands drift down to rest at the Doctor’s sides~

DOCTOR:

~parts his jaw almost instinctively to accommodate the Master’s tongue, the familiar taste of the Master making things all the more pleasurable (and, of course, all the more terrifying to lose). Brings his hands to start unbuttoning the Master’s suit jacket~

MASTER:

~easily allows for the Doctor to remove his suit jacket, breaking the kiss as he does so and meeting the Doctor’s gaze with a smile~ don’t waste your time worrying, Doctor. ~brings his hand back up to caress the Doctor’s cheek fondly~

DOCTOR:

~smiles at the Master as he responds~ I know, I know… It’s just-… hard to know what might happen. We can’t stay out of the TARDIS forever and it’s clear that we don’t because you use Tav to get the collar, leash, and sticky note to us… ~realizes he’s doing exactly the opposite of what the Master told him to, stopping himself from continuing~

MASTER:

Hush. ~his voice is gentle, smiling as he twirls a finger around a lock of the Doctor’s hair~ If you don’t mind me taking a bit of a risk, how about tomorrow I go out, get Tav, and run those errands?

DOCTOR:

~is hesitant, eventually giving into his trust in the Master and the hypnotic sincerity in his partner’s voice~ alright… do be careful, though.

MASTER:

~nods, giving the Doctor a brief kiss~ I promise I will. ~brings both hands to the Doctor’s face, running them affectionately down the Doctor’s neck and chest~ I’ve remembered just enough, I think, to make this the safest opportunity to try.

DOCTOR:

~doesn’t answer, the words “I promise” making him grimace though the Master inspires ecstasy in him as well, making his emotions a confused mess~

MASTER:

~looks concerned at the Doctor’s grimace, asking~ what’s wrong with making a promise? ~brings his hands back to the Doctor’s sides, lowering himself and resting his head on the Doctor’s chest~

DOCTOR:

~his answer comes in a bitter, almost pained tone~ the fact that you’ve broken pretty much every promise you’ve made to me. ~brings his arms around the Master gently~

MASTER:

~brings his arms up to lie loosely near the Doctor’s head~ come on, that’s not true… ~trails off thoughtfully~ who’s to say we can’t turn ourselves around, eh? There’s no need for keeping secrets or breaking promises anymore.

DOCTOR:

~looks at the Master, his eyebrows furrowed as if he can’t comprehend what he’s hearing for a moment~

MASTER:

~props himself up on his elbows, looking down at the Doctor in confusion~ what is it?

DOCTOR:

~shakes his head quickly before answering, smiling a little~ sorry, I’ve _never_ seen you be so positive about anything. And, considering the circumstance, I didn’t expect for now to be the time you decide to be the optimist.

MASTER:

~scowls playfully~ oh, shut up. You’re ruining the point. ~rolls over to the left along with the Doctor, using the fact that the Doctor’s now upright to pull his shirt and suit jacket off~

DOCTOR:

~easily allows the clothing to be removed, tossing them aside and grinning almost smugly~ I know.

MASTER:

~pulls the Doctor down into a kiss with his left hand at the back of the Doctor’s neck, being less gently than he was before; his other hand comes up to wrap around the Doctor’s waist~

DOCTOR:

~kisses the Master a little hungrily, though the pressure on his neck takes him off-guard at first. His hands travel up the Master’s sides and around to start unbuttoning his shirt~

MASTER:

~hums in approval, giving the Doctor’s lip a playful nip as he eases out of the kiss, smiling. Looks thoughtful, speaking softly after a moment and sounding sincere~ thanks for putting up with me all this time, Doctor. I’m sorry for not being able to keep my promises.

DOCTOR:

~his hands pause halfway through unbuttoning the Master’s shirt as he answers~ it’s fine, really… I know you never wanted to hurt me—well, beyond the drums and your bit of sadism, but that’s beside the point. I don’t think that I would have been able to do any better in your situation.

MASTER:

~glances down at the Doctor’s hands, thinking with faint disappointment that he didn’t have to stop just because he was speaking~ thanks. ~smiles slyly~ is that a compliment?

DOCTOR:

~follows the Master’s gaze, seeming to just notice that he’d even stopped and continuing to unbutton the shirt as he looks back at the Master, smiling~ yes.

MASTER:

~chuckles and runs both hands down the Doctor’s back slowly, nudging him down into another gentle kiss, humming lightly into the Doctor’s mouth~

DOCTOR:

~kisses the Master back finishing on the shirt and letting his hands slowly travel up the Master’s torso, pushing the shirt further open in the process~

MASTER:

~fidgets, but not too impatiently, one of his legs coming up to brush against the Doctor’s groin as he leans into the kiss, his hands coming up to take firm hold of the Doctor’s leash and not letting the other Timelord move away~

DOCTOR:

~his breath hitches briefly at the unexpected contact to be let out in a hum of pleasure that he can’t stifle. His hands brush down the Master’s sides to slide under the hem of the Master’s trousers~

MASTER:

~breaks the kiss and lets out an audible exhale, fidgeting a bit more but not out of anticipation~ maybe we sh… ~trails off breathlessly, unable to resist lifting his hips slightly and meeting the Doctor again to continue the kiss~

DOCTOR:

~his hands don’t venture downward as the Master seems almost uncomfortable however much he also seems to enjoy himself. Kisses the Master back with gentle passion for a moment before breaking the kiss, purring softly into his ear~ what was that, Master?

MASTER:

~gives a small hum that turns into a chuckle, barely focused at all due to the Doctor’s actions and his tone so it takes a moment to think up a half-whispered response~ maybe we should do this later… Alia’s in the next room over, yeah?

DOCTOR:

~pauses in thought for a second before answering with a little sigh~ guess you’re right… ~chuckles slightly~ that would probably be the worst sort of interruption possible… although, if the bedroom doors lock, we could hear her at the door and she wouldn’t be able to just walk in.

MASTER:

It would still be uncourteous to wake her up. ~hesitantly slides himself back, sitting more upright and bringing his hands to either side of the Doctor’s face, smiling~ later. ~says it like a promise, but not using “I promise” in the statement considering the Doctor’s distaste for it last time~

DOCTOR:

~smiles back at the Master, backing off of the other Timelord compliantly~ alright, later. ~rolls out of the Master’s hold to lay on his back beside him, looking happily thoughtful~

MASTER:

~settles back own into the bed, slipping under the covers as it’s actually a rather cold night. Removes the rest of his shirt, tossing it toward the end of the bed where the rest of their clothes are, looking over at his fellow Timelord~ Doctor?

DOCTOR:

Yes? ~turns to the Master, easily breaking out of his train of thought to focus on what the Master has to say~

MASTER:

~lies down and turns to face the Doctor, reaching out to place a hand gently on the Doctor’s cheek as he speaks softly~ I love you. ~gives the Doctor a brief kiss~

DOCTOR:

~smiles warmly, remembering the last time the Master said that, made even more happy by the simple fact that they survived~ I love you too, Master… and that’ll never change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And this concludes Volume 2. A Volume 3 is planned, as of now


	24. Extras

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to publish this collection of stories I've written on my own. They specifically relate to the happenings of Chapters 1 and 2. The formatting is a little different, and so are the tenses, but it's a small adjustment. I'm rather proud of them, though. Anyway; enjoy.

_[Hello.]_

_[This is a prerecorded message.]_

_[I’d just like you to know that if you manage to get back to the correct universe within your six hour time limit, I will have to kill you of my own accord. There is no way to change this outcome, so I advise you say your goodbyes before your time is up.]_

_[Thank you for listening, and have a nice day.]_

* * *

 

It was a small, oblong room of white panels that the Master woke up in after he died.

He blinked his eyes open and his vision was blurry for a while, but it was hard to notice since the shapes and colors he was seeing hardly varied at all. Everything was smeared together into a single, creamy shade of white with an extra dash of dazed confusion. He felt an unnatural sense of calm. Time seemed to slow for a few moments, allowing him to catch up.

 

That’s when the shock hit him. Time shot forward into a wild sprint, yanking his mind out of semi-consciousness. The world sharpened and outlines of panels came into focus—daunting and suddenly much closer than the Master had cared to know about before. Panic-induced claustrophobia kicked in and with a quick jerk the Master rolled himself away from the wall; a weak involuntary attempt to get away. Of course, it didn’t do him much good in a small chamber with no exit, apart from presenting a different panel to stare at.

After the initial shock died down, there was more room in the Master’s mind for coherent thoughts. With his eyes focused somewhere beyond the ceiling above him, it didn’t take long for his expression to delve into one of complete despair.

The Doctor thought he was dead.

With a noise somewhere between a hostile growl and a sob, the Master turned himself over and punched the panel below him with a force that should have made it shudder. It didn’t, however, and instead sent a jarring pain through his hand which the Master decided to ignore—allowing the painful blow to coax a few tears out of his already brimming eyes. He lasted a few more seconds before his shaking arms collapsed underneath of him, and he fell to the ground without complaint.

A few moments later, a familiar, cold robotic voice came into the room, sounding too close for comfort when it commented, _“…I suppose you’ve figured out by now that I haven’t killed you.”_

The Master focused on steadying his breathing as She talked, and Her words only faintly registered in his mind. “I didn’t notice,” he replied defeatedly, not able to squeeze a little remaining sarcasm into his statement, because it felt like he had no emotion left to give. He was never an expert with emotions anyway. Lying on the hard ground began to make his back ache.

Unexpectedly, the familiar sound of the Doctor’s voice filled the small room. “I had something to lose,” it said. “I had someone to live for that just might not have to leave; and if he ever wanted to leave, he wouldn’t leave a soldier…”

The Master scrambled to his feet, succeeding after a few tries with a small sense of achievement and looking around desperately for the source of the voice. It didn’t take long to find it—a rectangular monitor mounted on the far wall, displaying a view of the TARDIS console room, as well as the Doctor himself. He was plugging in coordinates and preparing to leave.

As the Master stumbled over to the monitor as best he could without falling, the TARDIS went dark.

“Give her back… please?” the Doctor asked, staring down at the dimly lit console, “I won’t call UNIT—or anyone else—in to raid and/or bomb the place.”

The Master couldn’t help feeling a little betrayed after having told the Doctor not to do anything stupid. He placed his palm on the rim on the monitor as he watched the TARDIS light back up, the Doctor carefully sending her into flight after muttering something about Jack. The Master let out a small sigh; whether it was of disappointment or relief was hard to tell. At least the Doctor was seeking company.

Intently, the Master watched the Doctor’s every move, each moment reminding him over and over again that the Doctor thought he was alone. So suddenly did the screen black out that it made him flinch and jump back slightly—the Doctor had left the TARDIS, there was no more footage to show. Frustrated, the Master turned around and glared accusingly upwards, as if searching for GLaDOS somewhere in the ceiling.

“You cruel bastard,” he spat, knowing the insult would neither make his situation better nor hurt the AI’s feelings—She didn’t have any to begin with. “Why didn’t you just… kill me?” His tone deflated as he spoke, losing some of its original force because of the weight of his statement. He gently leaned backwards onto the slightly curved surface of the monitor, staring at the ground. It was a little more comfortable than the hard, flat panels on the floor.

 _“Would it really make sense for me to murder one of the only two Timelords left in existence?”_ She explained, patient and almost eager. Her tone was sickening. _“This way I get the same results without the side effect of a casualty that I cannot afford.”_

“Nice to know you care,” the Master sighed, this time managing to sound remotely sarcastic.

There was a noteworthy pause, during which the Master looked upwards and around the room expectantly.

_“Despite the current ongoing experiment with the Doctor, I’ve set aside a few special things for you and me to occupy ourselves with.”_

The Master didn’t have time to reply, because he had just come to notice that the air in his room was tinted green.

 

* * *

 

_“Tell me, what do you want?”_

The past few days had been utter hell. But, when he played his cards right, it started to get better. Slowly but surely.

He had been shown occasional footage of the Doctor, and knew rather quickly that time was passing faster for his fellow Timelord. That meant he would be stuck here longer than the Doctor knew he was dead—and _that_ was if GLaDOS even allowed them to be reunited. The mere idea brought back hope, which the Master certainly didn’t need plaguing his life. He watched the Doctor sleep, tried not to listen when GLaDOS was forcing the grieving Timelord to explain his nightmares. He tried to forget.

She had him change into a scratchy, orange jumpsuit and sleek Aperture Science Long-Fall Boots, standard testing gear for an average test subject. The Master still had a certain distaste for it, even after everything he had been through—it was the sort of thing that made you feel just as standard as the clothes you were wearing. Maybe GLaDOS did that on purpose, to make him yearn to mean something more. He wasn’t sure.

Now, the activity was a mixture of torture and interrogation. The Master’s tenacity has helped him hold out for multiple hours in the beginning, which was something he personally felt proud of. It was kept reserved, though. Out of sight and nearly forgotten after this long. It felt like his pride was turning against him, but only when he stopped to dwell on it. So he tried not to think too much.

 _“What do you want?”_ the voice came again, echoing through the Master’s thought process and scattering it.

“I-I…” the Master stuttered in a wary voice, “I want to see the Doctor.”

 _“Wrong answer.”_ He was rewarded with a painful electric shock, delivered through the wire wrapped around his neck. The Master choked and his hands flew up to his neck, but he stopped himself short. Trying to pull the wire off would only earn him another shock; he knew that quite well. They had been at this for half an hour already.

 _“Oh dear, when will you ever get it right?”_ Her voice was worried, but it bordered on sarcasm, as it so often did. She continued, “ _never mind, then; we’ll burn that bridge when we come to it. Now remember, honest answers only, alright?”_

The Master nodded, solemnly. He was unable to get out of this one; so he simply leaned back in his chair, to get himself comfortable. He had the nagging feeling that this wasn’t going to be over as quickly as he would’ve liked.

_“Good. Next question: Why are you here?”_

“Because you forced me to be here against my will,” he answered easily, and got another shock. “But it’s the truth!” he spoke a little louder after he had gotten over the pain, his tone becoming distraught. That earned him another shock. Defeated, the Master hung his head and went quiet.

_“Are you implying that you expect the truth is what I’m looking for? That would be absurd.”_

~•~

_“Now. Tell me what you want, and if you answer correctly, all of this can be over. I promise to grant your wish.”_

The Master was panting, and his whole body ached. Mostly around his neck. And so it took him a moment to respond, in a shaky voice: “I want…”

_To see the Doctor again. To tell him I’m alive._

“I w-want…”

_Respect, dignity, pride, freedom, happiness… to forget…_

“I want to belong here,” he finished weakly.

 

And the shock didn’t come.

~•~

In the beginning, the Master thought it would help his overall situation to be more tolerable. He obviously wasn’t ever going to be allowed the Doctor’s company again; and, if you can’t beat them, join them. It made sense.

In the end, however, the Master had no memory of this, nor did he really care. What mattered was the fact that he was happy…

But that’s in the end. The Master was still in the middle, and it was only the fourth day, of the full two weeks he would end up going through this… ‘Training’. (Yes, he would tell the Doctor one week, but it would only be out of consideration for the other Timelord. _He doesn’t need more to worry about,_ would be the Master’s reasoning.) Those words he had said, “I want to belong here”, were being shoved back down his throat for him to spit out again, over and over.

The Master couldn’t think straight. He only knew, for sure, that four things existed: himself, the odd-colored gas filling the room, and those words. Plus the pain. He couldn’t understand at the time, but GLaDOS was using the makeshift shock-collar as well as the Master’s own systems as punishment for whenever he hesitated too long. Hesitated to say those five words. “I want to belong here.” He could hold off punishment if he just kept saying them, saying them until his throat ached and his eyes stung from the thick, gas-filled air as he lay on the cold, white floor. He had given up on sitting in the chair. He tried his best not to cry, and it worked—for a while at least.

The worst thing about all this was that the pain was bad. There was no gratification to it, as if somehow GLaDOS could turn his addiction on and off. The Master spoke until he didn’t even notice what he was saying anymore. At least now he knew something else for sure: he wanted to belong here, wherever here was. The details could be worked out later.

Eventually, the Master’s words become so slurred together, ragged and spaced out that they did little to nothing to help him. The Master decided to do something he should’ve done long ago. His hands came up to his neck, ignoring the worsening shock as he tore the cord away and threw it as far as he could manage. Then his hand fell limp, and the pain stopped. Finally.

 

* * *

 

_I…_

A thought, revealing itself through the oblivion of unconsciousness. Without direct mental control he strove to elaborate it.

 _…I… be-_ lieve?

_No-… belong._

The thought was coming together now, but he knew it wasn’t complete yet. Closer… the thought began slipping away again, arousing a sort of panic that startled the Master awake, and he immediately sat up.

_…here._

As the thought suddenly sharpened and became complete, the Master let himself relax. He welcomed the feeling of belonging, and was comforted by the statement. _I belong here._ It was a concept that had been carved into his mind—repetitively—left brightly vivid and unforgettable. He wasn’t sure why, but he accepted it wholeheartedly and without question.

With a small smile and gentle turns of his head, the Master observed his surroundings: white panels. That was good—familiar was undoubtedly the best way to go. Another look brought an oval-shaped table to his attention, with… ( _two, four, five…)_ six chairs in all positioned around it. The big picture came together as he noticed some of the posters on the walls, the door on the opposite side of the room, partnered with a wide window—and of course, the fact that he was on the ground. That at least, the Master knew, could be fixed quite easily.

He stood. He brushed himself off, looking down at the bright orange material he had touched. A jumpsuit. How fitting! It belonged to him as much as he belonged to the place it came from.

_“I’m glad to see you’re awake. How are you feeling?”_

Ah, and there was the sound of Her soothing voice. Surrounding him like a blanket of homely comfort. He only smiled brighter and looked up to address the voice back.

“I’m… fine, actually. I’m not sure what you did but… thank you. I’d say I’m in your debt,” the Master spoke sincerely, finding nothing wrong with his response.

_“Oh, no; it’s my treat. Rest assured that you don’t owe me anything.”_

The Master did just that. Still smiling, he paced about the room until he came to the door on the far side. Peering out into a pristine white hallway, the Master went to turn the handle and walk out, ready to explore his new home.

 

* * *

 

It was cold.

The chill penetrated the thin material of the Master’s jumpsuit effortlessly, and he began to seriously doubt its effectiveness as an article of clothing. With nothing else to do or say, he curled up to preserve body heat, and—no, hold on, he did have something to say.

“GLaDOS…?” he called weakly, and his pathetic plea came bouncing back at him, the only response he had thought he would get anyway. The Master decided speaking would only make him feel more sorry for himself… but the Master was a changed man.

“Come on, this isn’t even a test, I know that. Is there something you want me to do for you, something I did wrong?” He was desperate for a response by now. His own words felt like they were coming from someone else’s mouth, and it scared him. “GLaDOS?”

Silence. The Master hated silence.

 

Hours later he began to break down. It was truly pathetic; him curled up, shivering and sobbing. Begging for company. She could see the Doctor being like this, too; maybe She would use similar tactics in a later time to get them both on her side. No more struggling, no more fearing for her life…

“I want to go home, please,” the Master said, words forming between his pitiful sobs.

If She had a mouth, She would’ve smiled. She couldn’t wait until the Doctor saw the beautiful lie she had pulled over the Master’s head; had gotten him to believe. The best part was the Master himself had suggested it! Oh, She absolutely could not wait.

Satisfied, GLaDOS sent a bot in with a blanket, into the room specifically designed to look foreign to Aperture. The Master was escorted back out into the facility proper, and he was delightfully eager to express his gratitude to Her. She had saved him from that horrible, lonely place, after all. And if Her experiment proved effective, she knew the Master would be reminded of Her in two situations: cold and lonely.

If she knew _anything_ about the outside world, it was the commonality of cold and lonely.

The Master would not be forgetting her anytime soon.

 

* * *

 

It was just a walk down to the old control room. That was all. It was never supposed to have turned into this. All he was going to do was check up on the disruption in Test Shaft 22, as he had been instructed. In seconds flat, all the Master had worked so diligently to forget came crashing back down on him like a wave of steel. For a moment, he felt the urge to run.

To run towards the sound of the TARDIS.

It echoed through the hall, drowning out the sound of the Master’s own thoughts, so he was forced to succumb to his instinct. Immediately he dashed down the hallway to his left to follow the sound, instead of continuing straight.

_“STOP.”_

The thundering command rendered him immobile, and he nearly stumbled over himself when his feet locked onto the floor. It was GLaDOS, speaking to him directly through his mind; commands like that could not simply be ignored.

But for the first time in a while, he didn’t want to obey GLaDOS’ command. The Doctor was on the other side of that door. He knew it. And GLaDOS was keeping him from going and telling the Doctor that he was alive. With his eyes trained on the door, unblinking, he waited for another instruction.

She gave it slowly. _“I know you know who’s beyond that door. So let me set some rules. No speaking. The Doctor is not allowed to see you. Anything else is fair game. Understand?”_

The Master gave a nod, responding to the toned voice he knew only he could hear, while complying with the first rule. A tear ran down his cheek and he wiped it away.

_“Good.”_

Now, he was free to proceed. He barreled straight for the door and fell into it with a crash; but it only budged—so he rammed his shoulder into it again. Then he realized, a little too late, that not only was breaking the door down not going to work, it was a stupid move as well.

“Hello!?” came the muffled sound of the Doctor’s voice, from the other side of the door. It was followed by the scraping sound of metal on floor panels. “Anyone there!?”

The Master held his hand over his mouth. _Yes, I’m here,_ he wanted to say—but that would be going against Her orders. He had never noticed it before, but when he heard the Doctor’s voice, it tore at him in opposite directions. Here was his new home, but the Doctor and the TARDIS was his old one. How could he possibly choose? The weight of it all dragged him down to his knees, and he let his head fall into the door gently, frustrated. Then, he made his decision. He got up, turned and ran.

“Hey! I’m not going to hurt you, whoever you are… I’m the Doctor.”

Suddenly, he remembered why going back to the Doctor was the best choice, and stopped in his tracks at the end of the hallway. Despite his attempts to stifle it, a sob escaped from between his fingers and tears welled from his eyes. More sounds of struggle came from the other side of the door as the Doctor tried to get through.

“Who’s in there!?”

Now the voice was clearer. Panic drove his feet forward, and he bolted for the lift at the end of the hallway to his right. The shrieking scrapes of metal distanced themselves from him as he fled, but the Doctor’s voice continued to echo in pursuit.

“Please come back? I don’t really know my way around… I could use some help.”

The Master crouched down in the elevator, begging for GLaDOS to send it down, unable to speak, lest he break the rules. He covered his ears and sobbed once; then the doors closed and he was brought down… but that was away from the Doctor. The Master threw a fist at the glass wall, hoping to channel out some of his frustration. It didn’t work, but created a small crack in the glass, smeared with his own blood—he had forgotten about his cuts. Looking down, he drew back his sleeve, just far enough to expose the first of the bleeding gashes on his wrist. They hurt wonderfully.

To his great relief, GLaDOS brought him down to a room that the lift normally would’ve passed. He recognized it as the panel he had entered through closed behind him, even in the near-perfect darkness. This was where he had been stowed away in the beginning, when he was still misguided and thought She had his (and the Doctor’s) worst interests at heart. The sight of the monitor glinting in the dark brought him a small smile.

_“Get moving, little Timelord; he’s after you.”_

_He’s after me._ The Doctor was trying to save him! No, the Doctor was trying to make him disobey GLaDOS. Which was it?

The Master’s stalling thoughts meant that he had a late start, leaping towards the catwalk as the monitor was moved away and his catwalk getaway was given to him. The TARDIS was landing, looming behind him as her brakes screeched. He heard a footstep that wasn’t his own.

Fear gripped him, just as the tip of his boot clicked on the grated surface of the catwalk. He spun on that axis, and planted his other foot down behind him for balance, realizing his mistake in a moment. Both of them were frozen, staring at each other, terrified.

“M-Master…?”

That name alone made his heartbeats skip, and he was almost tempted to speak. _Yes?_

_“JUMP.”_

He would’ve protested; tried to refuse… but commands like that simply could not be ignored.

**Author's Note:**

> Please join our discord server and tell us what you think! https://discord.gg/pSKuCSx


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